Liverpool look tough to stop in title race, Chelsea still learning Enzo Maresca's ways - Premier League hits and misses

By the time the final whistle sounded on Liverpool's 3-1 win over Leicester at Anfield, Jordan Ayew's sixth-minute opening goal felt like a distant memory. Remarkably, the visitors did not muster a single shot after the 10th minute of the game.

Such is Liverpool's capacity to smother their opponents. They stayed cool after falling behind, even as they struggled to find their rhythm. But Salah is not their only game-changer.

Gakpo is another. His equalising goal was a thing of beauty and the result never looked in doubt after that. Liverpool were ahead soon after half-time and, of course, Salah had to get his goal too. In the end, it felt like as easy a victory as Liverpool could have asked for.

It is coming up to four months since they last lost a game. That September reverse against Nottingham Forest looks more and more like an aberration. The recent draws against Newcastle and Fulham felt uncharacteristic too but Liverpool are back in their flow now.

Their unbeaten run now stands at 22 games in all competitions. They will be top at the turn of the year, regardless of the result against West Ham on Sunday. They will most likely be top in May too. It is becoming difficult to see any other outcome.Nick Wright

You can see what Ruud van Nistelrooy was trying to do. Leicester arrived at Liverpool intent on making this a game, and for the majority of the first half, they did just that. Van Nistelrooy spoke pre-match about wanting to instil a winning mentality and that approach at Anfield is brave, if a little audacious.

Leicester had four shots in the opening 10 minutes (scoring with their only shot on target), but didn't manage a single attempt for the remainder of the match. The level simply wasn't sustainable as Liverpool moved through the gears.

There is no shame in losing to Liverpool - the Premier League's runaway leaders - and they never went under, as many have against Arne Slot's side, including Spurs last week. But Leicester have now slipped into the relegation zone and have conceded the joint-most goals (40) alongside Wolves in the division.

Sharpening up defensively is where Van Nistelrooy needs to concentrate most of his time, or risk dropping further still.Laura Hunter

In many ways, Erling Haaland's recent struggles in front of goal for Manchester City mirror those of the team themselves, initially thought of as merely a blip both will come out of in no time and yet we are still waiting for that to happen.

Haaland, like the Premier League champions themselves, came out of the traps fast to start the season, scoring 10 times in his first five league games, but as City began to wobble, so too did the Norway international.

So much so, in fact, that last season's Premier League top scorer has only netted three goals in his last 13 matches, coinciding with City's own downturn in form, while underperforming his xG by a league-wide total of 5.2 in that time (3 vs 8.2 xG).

Nothing better sums up Haaland's woes of late than his penalty failure against Everton with the scoreline 1-1 as Jordan Pickford guessed correctly to keep out his weakly struck effort, incredibly the first time the forward has seen a goalkeeper save one of his 16 Premier League spot kicks.

And Pep Guardiola's spluttering title holders need their main man back to his best as soon as possible, otherwise their long barren run may carry on into 2025.Richard Morgan

The red card to Bruno Fernandes obviously offered mitigating circumstances and there was enough tension inside Molineux to believe that Manchester United might conjure an equaliser until very late in the game. But the 2-0 defeat to Wolves was still alarming.

Another stuttering display, another goal conceded directly from a corner let alone from a set-piece situation. Much of the focus at United is now long term but that is something that Ruben Amorim must address quickly to avoid this season going from bad to worse.

Asked how long it would take for his principles of play to take hold, Amorim suggested he had no idea. In a game that started with both Portuguese coaches adopting a 3-4-2-1 formation, it was the Wolves players who looked more comfortable with that system.

Even when the game was 11 against 11, United lacked zip, moving the ball far too slowly to take advantage against opponents who began the game in the bottom three. Amorim will be more convinced than ever that wholesale changes are required for next season.

But next season looks a long way away if United continue to play like this. It is Newcastle next then back-to-back away games against Liverpool and Arsenal in the Premier League and FA Cup, respectively. This could get messier before it gets better.Adam Bate

Enzo Maresca kept referring to Chelsea's failure to manage the game against Fulham as the reason for losing at home against their west London rivals for the first time since 1979. The first 15 minutes of the second half particularly, he said, cost his side.

There was a moment just before the hour, when it was 1-0, which illustrated exactly what Maresca was getting at. Cole Palmer picked up the ball with Chelsea breaking and blue shirts bursting forward. Palmer disappointed them by deliberately slowing the game down.

Chelsea voices in the crowd could not disguise their upset. Maresca was alone in applauding the perceived negative action. These are the moments he wants to see more of from his side. Fulham came looking for transitions, and he wanted to take that away.

Maresca ideally would like his team to move up the pitch as a unit to avoid leaving holes for the opposition to expose - "Before you attack, you need to make passes, passes, passes so we are together," the Chelsea boss said - even if it's at the expense of excitement.

Leicester fans sometimes became weary with the ways of their former manager last season despite him leading them to a comfortable promotion as Championship winners. Maresca's philosophy clearly takes some time to adjust to. Not everyone at Chelsea gets it yet.

That's perhaps why he has repeatedly said Chelsea aren't ready to challenge for the title yet. Results have been impressive, this being their first defeat in the league since losing at Liverpool in October, but he knows that the team are still learning how to play his way.Zinny Boswell

At the start of this season, had you told Fulham supporters they'd be heading home on Boxing Day with their side level on points with defending Premier League champions Manchester City, they would not have believed you. But while City have slumped, this is a Fulham team on the up under Marco Silva. A first win at Stamford Bridge since 1979 is validation of that.

Perhaps even more impressively, this was a historic win achieved without Emile Smith Rowe or Sander Berge, two of their top performers this term. Harrison Reed was also missing from a depleted midfield, while regulars Kenny Tete and Reiss Nelson are in the treatment room, too.

But Fulham have found a way to take points off Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham this term and, with a change in formation here, they have dealt a blow to neighbours Chelsea. It's a result they will revel in. But with Silva at the helm and this talented group finding ways to win in different ways, their prospects for 2025 are looking bright.Peter Smith

Paul Onuachu touched the ball 12 times in the West Ham penalty box. Eight were shots, seven of them were headers. Despite all of that accounting to 0.57 of Expected Goals, all of them failed to find the net.

In one game, the 6ft 7in striker showed incoming manager Ivan Juric the exact uphill struggles he faces at Southampton - a sheer lack of goals.

The Saints have scored just 11 times in the Premier League from 17 games. More worryingly, they have just seven goals from eight home games.

This is a side who has spent a combined £75m on Onuachu, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Cameron Archer, Ben Brereton Diaz and Mateus Fernandes in the last 18 months - they have five Premier League goals between them. So many forwards, so little end product.

The intent was much better from Juric's Southampton on Boxing Day. The more direct style brought an attacking verve that rattled West Ham in the first half, while wing-backs Yukinari Sugawara and Kyle Walker-Peters provided so much for Onuachu and Co.

But unless Southampton find their scoring touch, they won't be getting off the bottom of the table any time soon.Sam Blitz

So often, Jarrod Bowen is the man to make the difference for West Ham.

His last three goals for the club have been match-winners. After his penalty effectively ended Erik ten Hag's spell as Manchester United boss, it was his trademark finish in the recent victory over Wolves which pushed Gary O'Neil closer to the Wolves trap door.

On Boxing Day, Ivan Juric's first game in charge of Southampton resulted in defeat thanks to Bowen's predatory instincts.

The 28-year-old was in the right spot to prod home from Niclas Fullkrug's flick-on for his 48th Premier League goal, taking him outright second in West Ham's leading Premier League scorers, with only Michail Antonio now scoring more (68). It was also his 100th league goal in English football's top four tiers.

"It was massively important to win," Bowen said afterwards. "This is our fourth game unbeaten but it was vital to win again. The ambition of this club is to qualify for Europe every year so it was not at stake today but we've got some catching up to do."

This was a dogged victory made impressive by how Julen Lopetegui had to absorb first-half injuries to Lukasz Fabianski and Max Kilman against a Southampton side desperate to impress their new manager. And whenever you have Bowen in your side, there is always the stardust to turn one point into three.Ben Grounds

There isn't a more relentless, energetic and classy midfield three in the Premier League than Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton and Sandro Tonali when they play with the roar of the St James' Park faithful behind them.

Yes, I'd include the Liverpool trio in that debate.

This Toon trio are dynamite and showed the Reds that a few weeks back in that hurricane-like 3-3 draw with Arne Slot's team. They are the bedrock of everything good Newcastle do. When they function, the team functions. It explains why the recent form under Eddie Howe has rocketed as these three are back to their pulsating best. Villa were completely outrun and outclassed in that area of the pitch, even before the red card.

Newcastle are up to fifth. And are moving along nicely.Lewis Jones

"It was his ankle and he said he could not continue. We will have to see," said Postecoglou after Radu Dragusin was forced off in the loss to Forest.

After the short injury update and outlining how "disappointing" it was to walk away from the City Ground empty handed, Postecoglou was nowhere to be seen in the press room.

It took just 150 seconds for the Tottenham boss to exit the building and it was clear to see he was not keen on answering many questions.

An injury to the only recognised centre-back left in the match-day squad, a red card for Spence who had shown promise across the last three outings and his side still dwelling in the bottom half.

The situation for Tottenham is growing bleaker by the day and the upcoming fixture against Wolves, which is just three days away, feels like a must-win game.Patrick Rowe

Forest secured all three points and the clean sheet to go alongside it against Tottenham - but they could not have done it without Murillo.

As Postecoglou rightly pointed out, his side possessed a threat in the final third but ultimately could not capitalise on it. And that is because of Forest's man mountain at the back.

His final figures came in at nine clearances, three blocked shots, three tackles and five duels won.

When there was space, he would close it. When there was a ball to be won, there was no contest.

The home crowd serenaded him throughout the entirety of the game. He is a fan favourite and it is clear to see why, the partnership forming with Nikola Milenkovic is the foundation that this historic season for the club is being built upon.Patrick Rowe

Dean Huijsen is seizing his chance at the heart of the Bournemouth defence and fast becoming one of the Premier League's top young defenders.

The 19-year-old centre-back, who signed for Bournemouth on a six-year deal from Juventus in the summer, has shone having started in the last five league matches, scoring twice and helping keep three clean sheets.

Huijsen stood up to the test of Crystal Palace's versatile frontline - the strength of Jean-Philippe Mateta coupled with the pace and trickery of Ismaila Sarr and Eberechi Eze.

He won the most duels of any player, the most tackles and had the highest pass completion rate. Huijsen's only mistake was a cynical foul on Sarr that earned a yellow card. Bournemouth have a gem.David Richardson