Boxing Day brought little cheer to the Premier League’s elite, except for Liverpool. The Reds delivered a commanding 3-1 win over Leicester at Anfield, while Chelsea, Tottenham, and Manchester United all suffered defeats, and Manchester City faltered yet again with a disappointing draw.
City’s struggles continue, with just one win in their last 13 matches across all competitions. Their 1-1 draw with Everton at the Etihad further compounded their woes, leaving them in 7th place. Bernardo Silva opened the scoring early for Guardiola’s side, but Ndiaye’s equalizer and a missed penalty by an out-of-sorts Erling Haaland ensured City’s Boxing Day misery.
Chelsea also had a day to forget, falling 2-1 to Fulham at Stamford Bridge in the West London derby. Despite an early goal from Palmer, Enzo Maresca’s side couldn’t hold on, risking being overtaken by Arsenal, who host Ipswich later at the Emirates.
Premier League, Forest holds Liverpool as City and Chelsea falter
15 Jan - 11:55 •
2' min
Nottingham Forest’s dream season continues as they edged out Tottenham 1-0, climbing to 3rd place. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side handed Spurs their fourth defeat in five matches, adding to the London club’s mounting woes.
Manchester United fared no better under Ruben Amorim, who has struggled to turn things around since replacing Erik ten Hag. United’s 1-0 loss at Wolverhampton marked their fourth defeat in five Premier League matches and their fifth overall, counting their EFL Cup elimination to Tottenham. Amorim’s record now stands at just seven points from nine games.
The lone bright spot among the league’s giants was Liverpool, who rallied from an early scare to defeat Leicester 3-1 at Anfield. Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s Foxes took an early lead through Jordan Ayew in the 6th minute, but Gakpo’s equalizer before halftime set the stage for a second-half surge. Curtis Jones and Mohamed Salah sealed the victory, giving Liverpool their 13th league win and a seven-point lead over Chelsea at the top of the table, with a game in hand.
Elsewhere, Newcastle United continued their ascent with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Aston Villa at St. James’s Park. The win lifted the Magpies above Villa in the standings and into a tie with Bournemouth, who were held to a 0-0 draw by Crystal Palace. Newcastle’s third consecutive victory showcased their growing form, while West Ham secured a 1-0 win over Southampton at St. Mary’s, extending their unbeaten streak to four matches.
Boxing Day delivered plenty of drama, but Liverpool’s relentless form continues to set them apart in the race for the Premier League title.
