José Mourinho is well placed to see off Manchester City and Liverpool but Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs are set to go for the biggest prizeAlarm bells have started to ring in the north-west of England. The EFL and FA Cups may be providing a temporary distraction but the inescapable fact is that London clubs occupy the top three positions in the Premier League.This was not widely anticipated at the start of the season, when it was thought coaches of the calibre of José Mourinho, Pep Guardiola and Jürgen Klopp would be slugging it out for the league leadership, not squabbling between themselves for the one remaining Champions League place. Related: Football transfer rumours: Leverkusen winger Julian Brandt to Liverpool? Continue...
In a game between two sides using high defensive lines, runs in behind the opposition were always likely to be crucial … and controversialThere are many similarities between the footballing philosophies of Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino, and for the second time this season, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur contested a fast-paced, exciting game based around pressing and high defensive lines. Whereas Tottenham ran out 2-0 winners in October, however, City failed to translate their superiority here into three points.Guardiola has often played a 4-2-3-1 in recent weeks but on Saturday used a 4-3-3 – and an extremely attack-minded 4-3-3 at that. Leroy Sané, Sergio Agüero and Raheem Sterling played high up the pitch, pressing Tottenham’s centre-backs, while David Silva...
The theory was that Manchester City look vulnerable unless they score the first goal but despite scoring the first two they managed to end up with only a point against Tottenham in an exciting 2-2 draw at the EtihadClaudio Bravo was the goalkeeper under pressure going into this match; Hugo Lloris was the one who ended up going to pieces. While Manchester City’s last line of defence did not exactly redeem his reputation, Tottenham’s goalkeeping was the greater influence on the game, with Lloris responsible for two errors in quick succession at the start of the second half.The only slight good news for Pep Guardiola, whose top four hopes are fading by the week, is that, regardless of goalkeeping, City...
Even though their new stadiums will still be at Stamford Bridge and White Hart Lane, with total rebuilds Chelsea and Tottenham will be losing history and memoriesIt isn’t always easy remembering what Stamford Bridge used to be like before the money arrived. Suffice to say, though, it was nothing like the shiny, photogenic ground Chelsea call home now. Stamford Bridge had soul. But it was hard-faced, too, and a little eccentric bearing in mind it was the only ground in the country where there was enough space for drivers to park round the edge of the pitch, meaning games would take place with a forecourt-style display of motors – including a sky-blue Robin Reliant if memory serves right – behind...
Jesus is finally available for Manchester City, Klopp faces a choice between Origi and Sturridge and Costa may have to bide time for return to Chelsea starting XIAs Manchester United prepare to visit the Britannia Stadium, examining Stoke City’s record against the league’s best sides this season offers an indication of where Mark Hughes and José Mourinho should both be looking for improvement. Stoke’s record against the elite is awful: five of their six matches against the league’s top six sides have ended in heavy defeats. They have lost 3-1 at Arsenal, 4-2 at Chelsea and 4-1 at Liverpool, while they were thumped 4-1 and 4-0 at home by Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur respectively. Good enough to take the...