Premier League highlights: 10 talking points as Rangnick watches Sancho shine for Man Utd

As temperatures drop under freezing throughout Britain, the Premier League title race is heating up fairly properly.

After one other fascinating weekend of home motion, simply two factors separate three of Europe’s finest sides.

Manchester City overcame the circumstances to see off West Ham and Liverpool have been emphatic in opposition to Southampton.

Chelsea, in the meantime, had their profligacy guilty for being held by Michael Carrick’s Manchester United.

Elsewhere, there was one other win for Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa and we had our first snow postponement of the season at Turf Moor.

Mirror Soccer rounds up ten key speaking factors from this weekend’s video games.

Rangnick has main work forward

Chelsea 1-1 Manchester United

Cristiano Ronaldo was relegated to a freezing subs bench, Fred briefly thought he might imitate Eric Cantona with a lobbed winner and a defence lacking Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire virtually survived 24 pictures on purpose.

However the greatest thriller for Manchester United followers got here off the pitch at Stamford Bridge.

Simply who was in technical director Darren Fletcher’s ear on the touchline?

Conspiracy theorists frenzied within the perception incoming boss Ralf Rangnick was the mastermind behind the efficiency through Fletcher’s earpiece.

Nonetheless, quite a few studies this morning have said that wasn’t the case, and that Rangnick had no communication with United’s teaching workers previous to or in the course of the match.

Some will argue United’s level in opposition to the European Champions bordered on larceny as Jadon Sancho robbed Jorginho to fit house his second purpose in 5 days.

However there have been affordable indicators of optimism for incoming Rangnick, watching from afar.

United had a plan and caught to it; the identical could not be mentioned throughout Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s demise.

Jorginho redemption

Chelsea 1-1 Manchester United

“He misjudged the scenario and he was closely disturbed from the lights so didn’t see the ball in the long run.”

That was the reason from Tuchel, who blamed the Stamford Bridge floodlights for Jorginho’s lapse previous to United’s purpose.

However the Italian secured an unsatisfactory level in west London.

Jorginho has missed his final three penalties for the European Championship winners however was unerring after Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s pricey error.

Make no mistake, this was two factors dropped for the dominant Blues in a title race the place perfection is demanded.

Nonetheless, Jorginho at the least redeemed himself to stop an premature defeat for Tuchel’s facet.

Objectives galore for ruthless Liverpool

Liverpool 4-0 Southampton

Liverpool are irrepressible proper now.

The Anfield crowd have been handled to 2 4-0 victories in per week in an exhibition of attacking artistry.

Jurgen Klopp’s facet have now managed to attain at the least two targets in every of their final 17 league video games, a brand new report.

Liverpool followers usually are not naive to how the approaching African Cup of Nations might hinder their title problem but it surely was their Portuguese star who struck a double in opposition to Southampton.

Diogo Jota could not miss both probability because the Saints have been lower open at will, however his purpose report may very well be essential to the title cost on Merseyside within the coming months.

Metropolis’s job nicely performed

Manchester Metropolis 2-1 West Ham

Pep Guardiola awarded the bottom workers man of the match as Manchester Metropolis defied a snowstorm to battle previous West Ham.

This seemed like a fixture which may not attain its conclusion at one stage after mild snowfall become a blizzard on the Etihad.

It is hardly circumstances Metropolis are recognized to thrive in however they tailored to say a significant victory over the resilient Hammers.

Ilkay Gundogan and Fernandinho netted the decisive targets and there was even a delay in the course of the sport because the pitch traces have been made seen.

After a optimistic lead to west London, Metropolis are all of the sudden one level off the summit.

Winter has arrived

Burnley P-P Tottenham

That Sean Dyche breezed out to the examine the snow coated Turf Moor pitch clad in solely shirt and tie was befitting of his granite repute.

Burnley’s sport in opposition to Tottenham was the primary Premier League encounter of the season to succumb to antagonistic climate and it hardly got here as a shock regardless of the commendable efforts of the membership’s snow shifters.

Heavy snow meant the sport was referred to as off underneath an hour earlier than the 2pm kick off and a brand new date shall be rearranged.

Frustration in all probability does not do the Spurs followers who made the journey to Lancashire solely to be despatched again down the motorway justice.

Toon hassle

Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle United

Eddie Howe is working day and night time on Tyneside to rescue Newcastle.

However he is likely to be wanting hours within the day to assist save the present squad from relegation.

Newcastle have been nicely overwhelmed by Arsenal on the Emirates in his first sport within the dugout.

They’re now winless of their opening 13 Premier League video games and are actually six factors off the drop zone.

The January window might determine Newcastle’s destiny and the brand new mega wealthy Saudi homeowners shall be underneath stress to get it proper.

Potter’s boo boys

Brighton & Hove Albion 0-0 Leeds United

“Effectively, they’re entitled to their opinion. I disagree with them. Fully.”

A supervisor opposing his personal followers typically spells hazard however Graham Potter was nicely inside his proper to query his facet being booed off after a draw to Leeds on the Amex.

Potter needed to remind supporters that Brighton sit within the prime half of the Premier League.

Frustrations at lacking numerous possibilities is pure, significantly in opposition to Marcelo Bielsa’s facet who’re responsible of delivery loads of targets.

However perspective, and maybe extra gratitude, is required for Potter, the nation’s most progressive younger supervisor doing a sterling job on the South coast.

Gerrard’s dream begin

Crystal Palace 1-2 Aston Villa

Who mentioned Premier League administration was difficult?

Steven Gerrard’s dream begin at Aston Villa continued with an vital victory at Crystal Palace.

Gerrard is already getting his message throughout within the Midlands and Villa’s season is already taking a really completely different outlook.

Matt Targett and John McGinn’s targets ensured their new boss has two wins from two and Villa are as much as thirteenth.

Optimism for Canaries

Norwich 0-0 Wolves

There’s already a steeliness to this Norwich Metropolis facet that was missing underneath Daniel Farke.

Dean Smith is 2 video games unbeaten after matching Wolves at Carrow Street.

More durable exams are to return after buying 4 factors at house to Southampton and Wolves.

However the Canaries usually are not merely going to sleep stroll into relegation underneath Smith like some had anticipated.

Conversion of targets continues to be a problem Smith should deal with however there may be new discovered hope as we enter the busy festive interval.

Toffees in disaster

Brentford 1-0 Everton

By no means has a managerial appointment been so doomed earlier than it began however Rafa Benitez is already approaching the tip days at Everton.

Everton are a facet in disaster and the unpopular Spaniard doesn’t have the solutions.

The Toffees have simply two factors from the final accessible 21 and the shortcomings of the squad are being brutally uncovered.

Supporters understandably voiced their disgust at full-time after their newest defeat at Brentford.

The ahead line lacks vigour and Benitez is famed for creating cohesion however his facet are a large number proper now.

One other change seems to be inevitable on Merseyside.