Premier League at Christmas: Club-by-club takes on season so far

Manchester City are still considered favorites to win the Premier League despite being six points behind Arsenal. But is the bookmakers' assessment correct, or is this Arsenal's year? And what about Liverpool, who are in second place? Could third-placed Aston Villa 'do a Leicester' and shock them all? At the other end of the table, who could fall into relegation after Christmas?

This is the most exciting run the Premier League has seen in a long time – a holiday gift for football fans, of course. So here's my club-by-club view, in alphabetical order, of what it looks like this holiday season.

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Arsenal: Their trip to Liverpool was a real litmus test for their title ambitions and they scored early before storming their way to an impressive 1-1 draw at Anfield. Last season's disappointing near miss gave them more steel this time around, and the addition of Declan Rice made them a better team. Looks like a team that really wants to win their first crown since 2004: they don't make many mistakes and must now get close.

Aston Villa: A revelation despite a near mistake at home against Sheffield United on Friday. John McGinn leads by example, and they have an excellent goalkeeper in Emi Martinez and a goalscorer in Ollie Watkins. But their indifferent away form (dropped 13 points) suggests a top-four finish is a more realistic goal than the title.

Bournemouth: Five wins in their last six games, including a 3-0 triumph at Old Trafford, tell the story of how manager Andoni Iraola responded to his critics by imposing his high-pressing style on the Cherries after a difficult start. They will end up well away from the drop zone.

Brentford: I hit the stamps due to a long list of absentees. With Ivan Toney not back until January 20 and key man Bryan Mbeumo out for three months, who will score the goals? But a 10-point advantage over the bottom three means there's no need to panic.

Brighton and Hove Albion: It's almost always a joy to watch and do well in Europe, but something goes wrong. They conceded in every game. The constant rotation of their two goalkeepers and the 72 changes, a league record, can hardly help. We have the feeling that they can do even better with a talented squad and coach in Roberto De Zerbi.

Burnley: The first away victory at Fulham was perhaps a turning point, but it was too soft, too often. Vincent Kompany must make it a more pragmatic and tougher team to survive.

Chelsea: In the cameos, there were signs of better times to come after a very complicated year. The return of the talented Christopher Nkunku and access to a Carabao Cup semi-final will improve the atmosphere. But the top four seem out of reach because they have been too soft and inconsistent, as shown by Everton and Man United's pitiful efforts recently.

Crystal Palace: Rumors persist that they could replace manager Roy Hodgson with Steve Cooper, who lost his job at Nottingham Forest. It would be dangerous. Hodgson will likely lead Palace up again after a poor run now that he has Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise back fit and firing.

Everton: Has four wins in five games since the 10-point deduction. The emergence of defender Jarrad Branthwaite and the return to real fitness of striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin are key factors in the recovery. Manager Sean Dyche deserves huge credit for changing Goodison's mentality after a fortunate defeat to Spurs.

Fulham: Concerns that they could struggle following the departure of top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic proved unfounded. Two recent successive 5-0 victories and a first-ever Carabao Cup semi-final berth prove Marco Silva has worked some magic. The home defeat to Burnley was perhaps just one of those days.

Liverpool: Without reaching full fitness, they are just one point off the top after their home draw against leaders Arsenal. There is a lingering feeling that this new Jurgen Klopp-led team hasn't quite solidified yet, and their failed 0-0 draw against Manchester United in their previous match cost them the top spot on the day. of Christmas. Most of the points gained from losing positions make them the comeback kings. Losing Mohamed Salah at the Africa Cup of Nations won't help.

Luton Town: Despite the doomsayers, they are competitive in every game and have been refreshing additions to the top flight. If they fall, they will do so kicking and screaming.

Manchester City: The FIFA Club World Cup wins five trophies in 2023. At their best, they are the best team on the planet. The problem is that they haven't been at their best very often in the Premier League, conceding sloppy goals and giving up points. City have the talent, but they are discovering why no team has ever won four English league titles in a row. It's hard to be hungry enough.

Manchester United : Despite a tough spot at Anfield, they look like an ordinary team weighed down by a myriad of problems and the negative vibe around the club (which only increased after that defeat to Bournemouth.) Perhaps redemption by Ineos of United's football operations may impact the changes needed. to put this famous club back on track. Only Sheffield United have scored fewer goals – a truly incriminating statistic for Erik Ten Hag, who urgently needs an improvement in results.

Newcastle United: Decimated by a mountainous and unlucky injury list, their overworked players appear jaded. Kieran Trippier's unusual errors underline this point. Out of Europe and the League Cup, manager Eddie Howe needs another year to avoid accusations that the wealthy club has regressed. Don't bet against him doing just that once the injuries subside.

Nottingham Forest: Taking a gamble by sacking popular manager Steve Cooper and replacing him with Nuno Espirito Santo. A bloated team is struggling without top scorer Taiwo Awoniyi. The bottom three teams might consider them catchable.

Sheffield United: The return of Chris Wilder could well spark a revival of sorts. Certainly, they showed new fight and resilience to end Aston Villa's 100% record at home. But questions remain about their lack of quality.

Tottenham Hotspur: The most enjoyable team to watch this season. Some of their fast-paced football has been breathtaking, and for that, manager Ange Postecoglu deserves his exalted status with Spurs fans. But he hopes they can win more than popularity contests in May. They concede a few too many goals.

West Ham United: The flair of Mohammed Kudus and Lucas Paquetá, combined with the threat of Jarrod Bowen, makes this a David Moyes team with a bit of an X factor. This is going well in Europe and the Premier League, disappointing to see Moyes field a weakened team for this week's 5-1 League Cup quarter-final defeat at Anfield. A wasted opportunity there.

Wolverhampton Wanderers: They beat Manchester City and Spurs at Molineux and will pose an even bigger threat when winger Pedro Neto returns from injury soon. Poor away form and atrocious luck with VAR cost Gary O'Neil's side a place higher than 13th.