Liverpool's forwards must step up but has Arne Slot sacrificed too much of their attacking impetus? Premier League hits and misses
Plus: Daniel Farke's disappointment shows how far Leeds have come amid eight-game unbeaten streak; Keith Andrews in with real shot of manager of the season honours; Fulham put personnel issues behind them to extend strong run against Liverpool
Monday 5 January 2026 06:12, UK
Slot searching for balance at Liverpool - but attackers must step up
The balance of Arne Slot's Liverpool side was an important talking point after the Reds' 2-2 draw at Fulham.
The Dutchman moved to add extra security to his side to halt their dismal run of results in October and November. Mohamed Salah was benched, Dominik Szoboszlai deployed on the right and an extra midfielder was incorporated into the line-up to stop a streak of nine defeats in 12 games.
It is an approach that has largely worked in terms of stopping the opposition - Slot noted Fulham scored with their first chance on Sunday and Harrison Reed's screamer would not go down as a big chance. But has he sacrificed too much of Liverpool's attacking impetus?
They were lacking in cutting edge in the first half at Fulham on the back of the 0-0 at home to Leeds. But Slot believes the issue of chance creation is a separate one.
"I'd like to create five times as much chances as we do now," he said. "But I do know in the period of time when we were playing more open, I don't think we created more chances but we conceded much more."
With Alexander Isak injured and Hugo Ekitike nursing a hamstring issue, the requirement is for the likes of Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz to step up. Both scored at the Cottage and both will need to be sharp again when Liverpool go to Arsenal on Thursday if Liverpool are to achieve the levels they want to at both ends of the pitch.
Peter Smith
...While Cunha shows them how it's done at Elland Road
Matheus Cunha performed poorly in Manchester United's 1-1 draw with his former club Wolves on Tuesday but his display against Leeds on Sunday was much more like it from the 26-year-old.
He looked determined to give a better account of himself right from the start and finished the game as its outstanding player.
His goal, slotted past Lucas Perri after being played in by Joshua Zirkzee, means he has scored or assisted in four of his last six appearances. He is showing his value after a slow start to life at the club and was inches away from adding a winner on Sunday when his curling shot bounced off the post.
At a difficult ground, Manchester United needed him to step up on Sunday. They were once again heavily depleted in attack, still without the injured Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount as well as AFCON absentees Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo.
For much of the game, Cunha had to make things happen on his own, with Benjamin Sesko struggling again. But Zirkzee's introduction gave him a better foil and he was energetic throughout, relishing the physical battle and giving his team an outlet.
"We tried to do everything to win," he said after the game. That was particularly true of man-of-the-match Cunha himself.
Nick Wright
No left-back, big problem for Man City
Manchester City and Pep Guardiola took a major risk in the summer by not recruiting a specialist left-back and that gamble has not paid off.
Against Chelsea, that decision was stress-tested and ultimately exposed as a huge moment swung the title picture firmly in Arsenal's favour. Malo Gusto was just too quick for a tiring Nico O'Reilly and his cross led to the equalising goal.
O'Reilly has found himself learning on the job this season. A polished midfielder by trade but a left-back by necessity. City can usually protect that kind of compromise with structure and possession. This time, they could not in a decisive moment. O'Reilly got isolated, squared up and beaten by Gusto. That is not an indictment of the player, it is a reminder of how much full-back defending is an art.
Guardiola has always believed that collective organisation can mask individual weaknesses. Most of the time, he is right. But the Premier League is such an unforgiving beast and opposition teams have noticed where City are vulnerable. Chelsea took full advantage.
Lewis Jones
Chelsea show resolve in trying times
You could have easily been lured into thinking this would be the perfect time to play Chelsea. No manager, form on the blink, having dropped 15 points from winning positions so far this season. But the reality at the Eithad was far from what pre-game narratives supposed.
This was not a contest flush with high quality chances but Chelsea made it as difficult as they could before getting the break of luck their determined display deserved. It was a performance stand-in coach Calum McFarlane could be proud of.
Had Enzo Maresca - dismissed three days prior - still been in the hotseat, no doubt he would have echoed similar sentiment post match. McFarlane admitted to being surprised by City's structure in the first half but found the answers in the second, with the introduction of Andrey Santos at half-time adding stability, and latterly Liam Delap for physicality up top. The hustle worked.
Chelsea ended the game with nearly twice the xG value of their hosts and generated three big chances, limiting City to zero of their own. Pep Guardiola said afterwards that none of that surprised him as he considers Maresca to be one of the "best build-up coaches" in England. Perhaps that's why he's been linked with eventually succeeding Guardiola at City.
Whatever the case, Chelsea's young squad showed they can be resistant in trying times, a quality that will stand them in good stead for the next chapter of this unpredictable and erratic era.
Laura Hunter
Farke's disappointment shows how far Leeds have come
"I think it was definitely possible to win this game." Those were Daniel Farke's words after the 1-1 draw with Manchester United. A game that before they met Man City in November, the German may not have been sure he would see.
Such was the scrutiny on his future at the club. But, that second-half performance at the Etihad gave him a lifeline that he took with both hands.
The point in the Roses derby sees Leeds pull eight points clear of the relegation zone thanks to a seven-game unbeaten run that has included a win over Chelsea and two draws against Liverpool.
A derby is always the sort of game where anything can happen. Which set of players is more up for it can often end up being the difference. But, Leeds didn't let the passion get the better of them. It was a calculated performance with intensity and cool heads.
They restricted their visitors from creating much of note from open play, and aside from the goals, the best chances fell at their feet.
For a team that seemed destined for relegation two months ago to be frustrated by not beating a team challenging for the top four, even if United's form has been topsy turvy at best, shows how far Leeds have come.
Callum Bishop
Fulham mentality claims another victim - with Chelsea to come
"It speaks about our mentality, our identity."
Fulham's sixth point from a losing position to deservedly draw 2-2 with Liverpool is nothing remarkable compared to their Premier League colleagues, but the resilience Marco Silva talks about runs deeper.
Since losing Alex Iwobi, Samuel Chukwueze and Calvin Bassey to AFCON - a trio who have racked up a higher proportion of goal contributions than any other club's African absentees - Fulham are unbeaten and have picked up eight points from four games.
Not long ago, Marco Silva's side were just four points above the drop but even then he spoke of record points tallies.
Now the Cottagers are six points off the top four with their international players to return but also a number of injuries - including Ryan Sessegnon and Rodrigo Muniz, who would both certainly compete to be first-choice selections.
Silva's sides have always been about character but there has been spark at Fulham in recent years and though that has slightly dimmed this season there were moments against Liverpool.
The one frustration for Silva and Fulham fans remains the feeling that with a little added investment, his squad could be capable of even more.
Silva himself chooses to run with a small squad but when injuries strike and back-up choices are limited, it leaves them and their manager facing an uphill struggle.
It's one they are managing remarkably well so far. And with Chelsea visiting Craven Cottage amid the transition of a regime change on Wednesday, Fulham will have no doubts they can take full advantage.
Ron Walker
Andrews a real contender for Manager of the Season
Brentford have this very strange phenomenon - the more you take away from them, the stronger they get.
Selling Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa for a combined £125m was meant to derail them, many thought it would limit them to relegation candidates.
But not only does Thiago now have twice as many Premier League goals (14), than Mbeumo and Wissa combined, but Andrews is threatening to go one better than Thomas Frank and qualify this team for Europe.
Still, Brentford are not at full strength. Dango Ouattara is away at the Africa Cup of Nations, Jordan Henderson cannot play every game and the likes of Fabio Carvalho and Antoni Milambo are out for the season - but still Andrews finds a way.
Jensen was placed in an unorthodox right-wing role at Everton and it brought the best out of Mikkel Damsgaard, benched for the last four games but the second-best player on the park. Damsgaard being able to play quick passes released more space for Brentford - and Thiago benefitted.
It earned Brentford just their third away win of the season - and if they manage to get an away run to partner their Gtech threat, then maybe they - not Sunderland, who they face on Wednesday - will be the surprise package of the season.
And perhaps, having never been a head coach before last summer, let alone a Premier League one, Andrews could be a real contender for manager of the season.
Sam Blitz
Everton show need for more bodies after tired display
"The game meant a lot," said David Moyes, searching for the consistency that would allow Everton fans to dream of a European push this season. But it was one bridge too far for Everton.
The Toffees currently look like a stretched team lacking in resources. Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall are big misses and as for their back-ups Tyler Dibling and Dwight McNeil, their half-time withdrawals were indications they cannot be relied on just yet.
Jake O'Brien summed it up at the end of the game, describing the performance as "tired". There were slack passes like James Tarkowski's mistake for the opener, while Igor Thiago could have had three more goals than the treble he got.
Everton ultimately need bodies in the transfer market if they want to push for the top half. With mistakes all round the pitch, they need more than the returning Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye and Idrissa Gueye if they want to be ambitious.
Sam Blitz
Frank continues battle with unhappy fanbase
New year, same old soundtrack at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the final whistle in Spurs' 1-1 draw against Sunderland was once again greeted by boos.
Last year saw Spurs suffer 11 league home defeats - a club record in a calendar year - and although this was not a loss, the home fans left dissatisfied again.
A bright first half had Spurs supporters smiling, with a shot-laden display that saw a surprise goal scorer in Ben Davies.
His first Spurs goal in three years on his first Premier League start of the season brought about fun-filled chants, making the mood feel different at half-time in north London.
But it proved a false dawn, as Sunderland came out a different side in the second half to deservedly peg Spurs back and maintain the ill-feeling in N17.
Spurs boss Thomas Frank once again heard jeers at the final whistle as he continues his battle against an unhappy fanbase.
And when it rains, it pours, as Mohammed Kudus suffered a first-half injury just two days after Brennan Johnson's £35m Crystal Palace exit, leaving Spurs short in attacking options.
The January transfer window's significance has become even more important now for Frank if he is to come through this Spurs storm.
Declan Olley
'Special player' Guimaraes shows he is one of the best
Newcastle were the better side against Crystal Palace but the game could have easily gone against them.
After seeing two goals ruled out for offside in the first half, nerves and tension were high amongst the crowd. Then their captain, Bruno Guimaraes, stepped up.
"Bruno is a very special player, a special person and a special character. Today he played a captain's role," said Howe after the game.
"That game was always going to be decided by key moments and he's come up with a big one for us, he's done it countless times."
The midfielder didn't win the game singlehandedly for the Magpies but he inspired the victory.
He has now moved level with Nick Woltemade as their joint-top goalscorer in the Premier League and is now on course to have his best season in a Newcastle shirt.
A constant and reliable option for his team, whose importance stretches far wider than just game-winning goals, such as on Sunday.
There are few midfielders as well-rounded as he is. One of the best in the league.
Patrick Rowe
'I have failed' - Glasner is right on big Palace problem
Oliver Glasner seemed defeated in his post-match press conference.
With a sigh in almost every breath, he admitted he had "failed" the team currently, as he struggles to find a solution to their set-piece woes.
Palace were worthy of at least a draw in this game but walked away empty-handed after becoming undone by two set pieces from Newcastle.
Glasner pointed out that this is now a common theme plaguing his side, stating that five of their last six defeats are solely down to set pieces.
He's right. Fifty-two per cent of the goals they have conceded in the Premier League have been from set pieces, the highest proportion of any team in the top-flight.
Their winless streak across all competitions now sits at seven games and unless they solve the growing issue in the squad, that will continue to worsen week by week as teams begin to target their clear weakness.
