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1. The Villa Heist: Rogers & Emery's Masterclass

Do the final scores sometimes deceive? One must ask. The Villans' triumphant run continued against Manchester United, but so did the nagging doubts. On paper, they were second best by multiple metrics – less attempts (12-15), reduced ball control (43-57), not as many golden opportunities (2-3). As usual, the victory was tightly contested. Consistently, the xG metric was unimpressed: analysis indicates United were narrowly ahead 1.31-1.02. However, supporters understand games are not won by xG. They are won by collective effort, tactical brilliance and sparkling skill – and Villa have all three. The young forward may be their sole standout, but he’s delivering like Father Christmas. The Villa manager is wily, seasoned, significantly more advanced of Ruben Amorim. The fact Rogers took advantage from Leny Yoro’s naivety, this was almost certainly because the manager identified that Yoro is not a right-back, and directed his attacker to start wide, cut in and torment him. Individual brilliance and coaching, working together.

2. The Amorim Conundrum: Still Searching for Answers

When Manchester United beat Brighton 4-2 last month, their fans began to believe again. They secured three league games in a row for the initial occasion under Ruben Amorim. Their position climbed to fourth. And the wins were all good ones – over Brighton (a traditionally tricky opponent), Liverpool (on the road!) and Sunderland (at home, facing a team fresh from the Championship, but still – a comfortable clean sheet). Their keeper provided stability, Bryan Mbeumo offered threat and morale was high. But then United slipped into a slump. Eight games, two wins, six disappointing results. At Villa Park they were the more dominant side without ever appearing likely to triumph. Yes, their forward scored a good goal, but he also blazed over a simple chance. Yes, United were cursed by absentees (to important midfielders), but they gave away cheap scores. Since his arrival in England, Amorim still hasn’t worked out how to claim three points.

3. Arsenal Grind Out a Vital Victory

It was an 8pm kick-off on the holiday period but a glaring absence of finesse in the final third made for a sobering evening. For Everton, the issue came as no surprise with creative forces absent, and Jack Grealish struggling to lift an entire team single-handedly. In many respects it is surprising that the Toffees sat fifth in the table not long ago given they have played all term without a decent striker. For Arsenal and the Spanish coach, while he enjoyed a merited victory and reclaiming first place of the table, the flaw should be equally concerning given their designs on the Premier League. The manager claimed that victories will inevitably grow more comfortable with hard work and perseverance. But it is somewhat premature in the season for a team that can start with world-class talents, while leaving quality substitutes on the bench, to be dependent on scrappy victories.

4. Guardiola's Strict Festive Regime for Champions

Over the festive period the City manager will monitor the scales to ensure his Manchester City players have not indulged too much. Guardiola said the team wanted to take a day off after their recent victory but he declined because their display lacked quality. So they will recuperate, training for the squad players, and post-holiday, then two days to prepare for the next fixture. Guardiola detailed how the side can improve. “My strength is deciphering what happens in the game, identifying weaknesses – if the players were in optimal spots, we could be more potent.” The boss also plans to enjoy a rest: “I'm taking a break with the family to relax. I'll visit Barcelona – it's highly recommended, the food is top.”

5. Liverpool's Joy Tempered by Isak Blow

The Swedish striker's finish at Tottenham felt, for a glorious few seconds, like an arrival. This was precisely the reason Liverpool invested heavily for him to do, to break tight games with his movement and range of finishing, and the calmness with which he converted from an incisive ball looked extremely positive. So the scene of his substitution immediately, the victim of a rash challenge, was a significant blow for the Liverpool manager and a shame for any neutral who would like to see a top-class forward hit full tilt again. Reports suggest Isak has sustained a fractured leg and he probably endures a extended spell on the sidelines. It would be a major blow with the Reds having quietly moved into the upper echelons, putting together a string of positive results highlighted by Isak’s first Premier League goals in their colours. Their campaign trajectory appear inextricably linked to those of their £125m investment.

6. Penalty Debate Rages After Newcastle Draw

Managers often complain about controversial calls as a means of shifting the focus from matters they would prefer were not talked about. The significant tally Newcastle have failed to secure from leading situations this season is a prime example. Eddie Howe certainly did not seem too willing to mention that costly trend following his side’s collapse from a 2-0 lead against Chelsea in a game they ended up drawing. Yet Howe was surely correct to highlight a decision made by the match officials not to award his team a penalty following a blatant body check on the England international. With the score then 2-1, a penalty could have altered the outcome. Was the decision to offer the defender the benefit of considerable doubt informed by past incidents for being expert at drawing contact and sometimes going down too easily? The take of a well-known analyst was notable. “Gordon’s waiting,” came the observation. “He's prepared for the impact and he's ready. I think he’s ready to go down. But the nature of the contact there … it's more than just defending.”

7. A 99.17% Certainty

Brentford’s maiden victory on the road this season spelled joy for the Bees' boss. More than just enjoying the victory, Andrews spoke kindly about Wolves, the club he came through at. “A large chunk of my life was here,” he said. Wolves’ situation is beyond dire; data analysts state – possibly kindly – their chances of relegation at 99.17%, leaving nothing to play for beyond honour. A senior professional brutally spelled out|bluntly outlined|frankly