Luton who looked destined to be heading back to the Championship after a 31 year spell away from the top flight are in fight mode and it could be happening at just the right time for Rob Edwards' team. Granted the club are still in the relegation zone in 18th place but after winning back to back games they are now just 1 point from safety and have caught back up to Everton. Indeed even Nottingham Forest are in the Hatters sights after wins over Newcastle and Sheffield United. Ultimately what will keep Luton from the drop will be their home form which currently reads won 2 lost 5 and drawn 2. That's not a great record but recently they have won 7 points from their last five home games and they are only narrowly losing out when they are defeated at home. Edwards' side came within minutes of drawing against both Arsenal and Manchester City at home and as mentioned above were able to beat Newcastle and they have also drawn against Liverpool. What do they really have to fear if they produce results like that?
Everton who looked to be plain sailing will be worrying again, they had won 4 games in a row and were probably expected to lose their last two games having to play Tottenham and champions Manchester City. However they wouldn't have expected Luton to suddenly pick up 2 wins on the bounce when it had taken the Hatters 4 months to win their previous two games. There is also an FA charge threat that the Toffees could be fined more points when a report comes in at the end of this year into Everton's financial accounting. It's interesting therefore that Everton can be backed at 9.00 to be relegated.
To be relegated: Sheffield United 1.01, Burnley 1.30, Luton 1.44, Nottingham Forest 3.00, Crystal Palace 7.00
The bookmakers will not be shifted on who will win the Premier League and that is Manchester City despite the club heading into the Christmas period in 5th place and currently they are 5 points behind the league leaders and have Liverpool and Arsenal to contend with instead of just one rival. That is how good this City are and that was underlined against Everton as they won 3-1 away from home. City did not play well but their quality exerted itself on a tough and at times physical game and Everton were simply overpowered. That is scary given that perhaps the finest players in their positions in Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland were out injured. City had just returned from Saudi Arabia where they had easily won the World Club Cup destroying South American champions Fluminense 4-0 in the final. That taste of glory- their fifth trophy in 2023 may well just set them up to go on one of their brilliant runs and scoop up 1st place along the way. City have been indifferent in the past six weeks but it was the same story last season and the season before that- this is a club who know when to turn it up to 11 and their rivals must be worried.
How about Aston Villa? If any club outside of the supposed big six, and that may be extended to seven for some observers, start to upset the apple cart and win games and push themselves into the top four they are going to be compared to Leicester and their surprise title win in 2016. Villa have been superb so far but once you prop up the table perhaps there is that deep breath that suggests 'but can they continue it?' Will the winter months prove to be too much? What about the motivation, or the lack of experience against sides who have been there, seen it and done it? And we haven't even touched on injuries and suspensions yet.
Unai Emery could well create some kind of miracle at the famous club and one of the very original to have partaken in English football. Let's be clear if Villa qualify for the Champions League that would be remarkable in itself. But these games come thick and fast, one moment you are seven points clear of fifth, one moment you are ahead of the champions, one moment you've just beaten Manchester City and Arsenal- and the next you are out of the game. Consistency counts also- and perhaps with some of the poor officiating that we have witnessed in the worlds best league, some luck counts too. The worry for Villa is that they have suddenly gone their last two games without a win. Losing away to Manchester United isn't really an option anymore given how average they have been but also given that Villa were winning 2-0 to lose 3-2. The game before that witnessed just a 1-1 draw at home to Sheffield United, the same home that had seen Villa play 7 games and win 7. Who could have thought that when points were finally dropped at Villa Park it would be against the club in bottom place? Even then Emery's side had to be thankful for that point as when the clock had turned onto the 97th minute they were losing! This could well be the beginning of a slip n' slide for Villa, and one that they may not be able to recover from….
Finally as we head out of 2023 and into 2024 we can reflect on some players that have been at the summit of English and European football. In the Premier League Rodri for Manchester City continues to be one of the very great midfield generals. It has been unfortunate that we have been robbed of Kevin De Bruyne's services this season but the Belgian should be back any day now. Sticking to City we cannot speak about them without mentioning Erling Haaland who in his debut season broke the Premier League goalscoring record with 36 goals, this included lean spells and he will certainly break that record again. He has scored over 50 league goals this year alone. Haaland at least will be able to rest longer than his teammates as Norway did not qualify for next summer's European Championships.
In Europe Jude Bellingham has been world class for Real Madrid and continues to shine in his debut season. Traditionally it has been difficult for English players to adjust to continental football but not Bellingham who has taken on a Cristiano Ronaldo role at the club and built up a very special relationship with manager Carlo Ancelotti. He has scored 13 league goals in his opening 16 games for Madrid and is already on course to be a legend with the club, it is of course a huge plus for Gareth Southgate and England as they head into the Euro's in a few months time. Lionel Messi even at the age of 36 arrived in America with some of his old Barca buddies and they rolled back the years in the Leagues Cup for a very average Inter Miami side, although did struggle somewhat in the MLS. Watching Messi at Miami has been a treat for the fans although they have felt it in the pocket with some tickets rising to over $500 to watch him play. The MLS will begin again in February.
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