Manchester City have now failed to win 11 games in 12, a run that has led them to drop down the table, away from the Champions League Places.
Their loss against Aston Villa on Saturday, December 21, was another reason to worry about a team that looks away from their Champions title.
Erling Hallad failed to score once again, and now the blame game has turned to him despite manager Pep Guardiola noting a few weeks back that he might not be good enough.
Pep Guardiola while watching Aston Villa vs. Man City 😓 pic.twitter.com/nrS4aD2pTB
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) December 21, 2024
One could sense that City weren’t up to it yesterday, and Rodgers’s second goal, a former City player, showed how far they’d fallen that no one saw them as favourites.
Pep will continue to claim they need players back, and maybe the January market will give him a chance to buy a few integral players for his squad.
Arsenal shining bright
As for title challengers Arsenal, they did even one better to beat Palace 5-1 away from home, a team that nearly forced a comeback in their Carabao Cup fixture at the Emirates earlier in the week.
⏱️ Half-time: Crystal Palace 1-3 Arsenal
Will the Gunners hold on to three points?#CRYARS
— Premier League (@premierleague) December 21, 2024
Gabriel Jesus, who had scored a hatrick in that mid-week fixture, did even one better by scoring two early goals to put Arsenal in a cruising position as they easily sealed the 3 points.
After a disappointing draw with Everton at home last weekend, this was a great show of strength to put Liverpool on their heels as they travel to Tottenham Hotspurs today, Sunday, December 22.
Arsenal are now just 3 points behind Liverpool albeit two games in hand, and a point behind Chelsea who also play today away to Everton.
