Guide to the toughest ‘Boxing Day’ for Guardiola

This Thursday will come for another year Boxing Day, pure tradition this Thursday, par excellence the great celebration of English family football. He Liverpool ‘post Jürgen Klopp’, with Arne Slot at the helm instead of the charismatic German coach, he is the leader of the Premier (and the Champions), outstanding, launched, before this 18th day of the current English championship. The big surprise is to see the Pep Guardiola’s Manchester Citychampion four times in a row (record), in seventh position, outside the European areas. It was the toughest Boxing Day for the ‘citizens’ coach.

History says that exactly half of the teams leading the Boxing Day They got the Premier last (16 out of 32). The fact is that this is the seventh time, since the birth of the Premier, that the Liverpool They are top going into Christmas and have only once, in 2019-20, clinched the title. Speaking of English leagues in general, the ‘reds’ have been on top 21 times (counting the current one) Boxing Day (more than any other team) and became champions in 11.

Be that as it may, Without Klopp, Liverpool dominate in this Premier, with 4 more points (and one less game, the postponed derby against Everton) that the Chelseathat by the hand of Enzo Maresca managed to leave behind the bad moments experienced last season, when, with Mauricio Pochettino on his bench, he finished sixth. The ‘blues’ of Cole Palmer (which in Boxing Day receive the Fulham) is back in the title fight.

Arrival Boxing Dayhe Liverpool is the second highest scoring team (37, after 39 of Tottenham) and the fewest goals ever scored, tied with Arsenal (16). The ‘reds’ currently have a Mohamed Salah in a state of grace (top scorer of the tournament, 15 points, for 13 Erling Haaland, and top assistant, with 11, to 10 Bukayo Saka). But the keys to Liverpool (which is received this Thursday Leicester) is much more, including the role of Ryan Gravenbergconverted by space on the axis of the team, or the strength of a defense led by Virgil van Dijk.

Arteta, leader in 2022-23 and 2023-24

The leader arrives Boxing Day these last two seasons have been the Mikel Arteta’s Arsenalbut in both 2022-23 and 2023-24 the Premier is at the end for that city now in a deep crisis. The Gunners occupy third place, 6 points behind a Liverpool with fewer meetings. One more year Arsenal (which you will receive on Friday at Town of Ipswich) is in the match. He city open the Boxing Day accepting Everton.

If one team is a revelation in its own right, it is the historic and recently promoted team Nottingham Forestfourth, and the Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouthfifth. Far away from the fight for the title are two ‘Big Six’ like Tottenham (11th) and the Manchester Unitedwhich does not fly with Ruben Amorim (13th). He Julen Lopetegui’s West Ham It is the 14th. Merry (Happy) Boxing Day to everyone.