New Year’s Day Premier League talking points with Liverpool,…

New Year’s Day Premier League talking points with Liverpool,…

Can Liverpool banish set-play blues?

Liverpool vs Leeds – 5.30pm, Wednesday – live on Sky Sports Main Event

Liverpool have gained their last three league games, having gained just two of their earlier 10 beforehand. The ship is steadying. But Arne Slot still has issues to resolve. His most evident headache must be the fee at which his aspect continue to concede from set-pieces – 12 up to now, the joint-worst document in Europe.

When Liverpool went to Leeds in early December, they had been pegged again by this very issue, falling to a late Ao Tanaka equaliser from a nook.

Over 50 per cent of Liverpool’s objectives conceded have been from set performs (including penalties) this season.

Watch every PL NYD game on Sky

You can watch every Premier League match on New Year’s Day live on Sky Sports.

Here presents the alternative to proper some wrongs, then. Leeds are exceptionally good from set-pieces – the anomaly among those ranked inside the top 5 most efficient. Daniel Farke’s aspect have scored 12 set-play objectives, equal to Arsenal, and only one behind Manchester United’s league main 13. 48 per cent of their complete objectives have been scored this manner.

This assembly is therefore the excellent check of Slot’s vow to enhance in this space, having parted company with set-piece coach Aaron Briggs just this week. If they do not tidy up, Leeds are more than able to inflicting punishment. And Slot can ill-afford more gasoline on the set-piece fireplace.
Laura Hunter

Thursday 1st January 5:00pm

Kick off 5:30pm

Fulham boss Silva bidding for historical past against goal-shy Palace

Crystal Palace vs Fulham – 5.30pm, Wednesday – live on Sky Sports Premier League

Two groups that are level on points however in differing kind meet at Selhurst Park on New Year’s Day.

Crystal Palace are winless of their last 5 games in all competitions, with a busy month of December fixtures taking its toll.

But Fulham are on the march as they bid for a fourth consecutive league win – and only as soon as before have they ever gained 4 in a row in the Premier League.

The Cottagers will fancy their possibilities too of equalling their document run, with Palace struggling in entrance of objective proper now.

Oliver Glasner’s aspect had just two photographs heading in the right direction in Sunday’s residence loss to Tottenham and have scored just as soon as of their last three league games.

It isn’t any shock to see Palace shifting for Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson after agreeing a £35m deal for the Wales worldwide, who was Spurs’ top scorer last season.

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After Crystal Palace agreed a payment of £35m for Brennan Johnson, we check out his best Premier League objectives for Spurs

If Fulham handle to maintain a clear sheet in south London, then it could be historical past for Marco Silva, as he would develop into the first supervisor to have saved six consecutive away clear sheets against the same opponent in the Premier League.

A Fulham shut-out would also heighten Palace’s want for the arrival of Johnson and additional January signings if the Eagles are to start shifting in the proper course in 2026.
Declan Olley

Thursday 1st January 5:00pm

Kick off 5:30pm

Man City changing into full bundle again

Sunderland vs Man City – 8pm, Wednesday – live on Sky Sports Main Event

Manchester City are hitting peak. On a six-game profitable run, this is the most formidable they’ve appeared since the again end of 2023/24, after they gained their final 9 en path to the Premier League title.

Plenty has and continues to be made of their flush assault, continuously evolving to disclose new dimensions: Rayan Cherki is the latest revelation. He’s been concerned in eight objectives in his last 9 league appearances. But this squad is more than model and sparkle at the top end.

Pep Guardiola has discovered a settled formulation at the again, too, naming the same 4 to start in 11 of 18 games up to now. Of those 11 games, 10 resulted in victory – the only exception being a 2-1 loss at Newcastle.

With Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias at the coronary heart of issues, City have two athletic centre-backs who can play, and stability the left and proper sides completely. Jointly they’ve also chipped in with six objective contributions.

Flanking those two are a pair of former central midfielders, Nico O’Reilly and Matheus Nunes, completely geared up to offer robustness off the ball and creativity on it. Their power to rise up and down is what Guardiola likes, akin to a main Kyle Walker, and means City are less susceptible to counter-attacks.

With each full-backs offering width, City’s ahead gamers can flood central areas to create overloads and discover Erling Haaland more persistently. Late underlapping runs, one thing O’Reilly is especially good at, are tough to trace and add another layer of unpredictability.

This current Manchester City setup is in contrast to something we’ve got seen before, and it could be unsuitable to imagine its effectiveness is solely all the way down to Haaland and Co. Pep’s construction is stable at each ends; not far off being the full bundle.
Laura Hunter

Thursday 1st January 7:45pm

Kick off 8:00pm

Frank returns to Brentford for first time aiming to earn same love at Spurs

Brentford vs Tottenham – 8pm, Wednesday – live on Sky Sports Premier League

Before the start of the season, not many would have anticipated Tottenham boss Thomas Frank to be going again to Brentford at the start of 2026 with his new club below his previous one.

But that is the case on his first return to the Gtech Community Stadium, the place he was supervisor for six-and-a-half years and was universally worshipped.

“Brentford Football Club, the fans and especially the people that I worked closely with, have a special place in my heart,” Frank said at his pre-match press convention.

Six-and-a-half months into the job at Tottenham, he has yet to really feel the same love and affection from the Spurs supporters.

Sunday’s pressure-lifting win at Crystal Palace was much-needed and has given Frank hope of getting Thirteenth-placed Spurs shifting upwards with a good run of fixtures ahead.

A win on New Year’s Day would put them into the top half of the desk and have them again in European competition.

But Frank of all people is aware of his aspect face a sterner examination than at Selhurst Park, with Brentford a drive at residence – one thing he masterminded, and that has been fantastically maintained by his successor, Keith Andrews.

The Bees have gained eight of their last 12 Premier League residence games, including 4 of the last 5 under Andrews. In fact, since the start of that 12-game run in April, only Man City (11), Aston Villa (10) and Arsenal (9) have gained more residence league games than Brentford.

Thursday 1st January 7:45pm

Kick off 8:00pm

It can be an unfamiliar feeling for Frank to be in the reverse dugout at the Gtech Community Stadium.

But if he sees a well-known Brentford residence performance unfold which his Spurs aspect can’t counteract, then it may effectively be a depressing homecoming for Frank.
Declan Olley

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