After the hectic festive period, Premier League players can breathe again as the FA Cup takes over this weekend – and boy do most of them need a momentary pause in play.
With this congested season starting in mid-September, top clubs have been cramming in three games a week for most of the past four months to squeeze in every competition.
The net result? Carnage, surprise and unpredictability. Thus far, we’ve had some freak results. For instance, the current top-two – Liverpool and Manchester United – both lost by five goals on one crazy day in October.
Liverpool’s 7-2 defeat at Aston Villa in October sums up the crazy Premier League season so far
On the same day, Manchester United lost 6-1 to Tottenham – yet they’re now on Liverpool’s tails
The champions’ 7-2 loss at Aston Villa goes down as the result of the season so far, while United’s 6-1 defeat at home to Tottenham is not far behind. Arsenal seem to have arrested their dire run in form with three wins on the trot and now it’s Frank Lampard who is feeling the heat at Chelsea.
With, rather refreshingly, no runaway leader and just seven points separating the top-six after 17 matches, this craziest of supporter-less seasons has plenty of twists and turns to take yet.
And as we nearly hit the half-way point, Sportsmail takes a look at reasons to cheer and fear for the Premier League’s top clubs at the start of 2021.
LIVERPOOL
Reason to cheer? Jurgen Klopp’s side are top, without having really shifted out of second-gear.
The Reds have not been at their full-flowing best – but winning ugly is a trademark of all top-notch teams and this Liverpool side have that capability, even without key players involved.
They’ve coped extremely well with injuries to Virgil van Dijk, Thiago Alcantara and Alisson Becker, such is their impressive strength in depth.
Even Mohamed Salah, who fuelled talk of a move away just before Christmas, has been his usual prolific-self, currently top on his own of the Premier League’s goalscoring charts.
Reason to fear? Klopp has maintained he will not buy a centre back this month despite the long-term absence of Van Dijk and Joe Gomez. So the question remains: will their lack of cover at the back come back to haunt them?
Virgil van Dijk’s season-ending injury could come back to bite Jurgen Klopp’s champions
Fabinho has filled in brilliantly at centre back and has been the constant alongside the injury-plagued Joel Matip, and youngsters Rhys Williams and Nat Phillips.
But, with FA Cup and Champions League responsibilities upcoming, will that be enough to see the season out?
Liverpool, for their own high standards, have been fairly leaky at the back too, particularly on the road where their form is very patchy. That being said, despite their inconsistent start to the season, they’re still top – and still the favourites.
MANCHESTER UNITED
Reason to cheer? For sheer strength in depth, United’s attack is the strongest in the Premier League – and it could even fire them to shock glory come May.
While United exiting the Champions League was a screw-up from a position of strength, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have – out of nowhere seemingly – entered the title race following a run of eight wins in 10 league games since November 1.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has arguably the strongest attack in the league, led by Marcus Rashford
After that 6-1 loss to Tottenham, Solskjaer’s job seemed on the line with the season barely underway. But, much to his credit, he has triggered a turnaround in domestic form over the past two months which sees United as Liverpool’s closest contenders at the moment.
A huge reason for that is United’s all-conquering forward-line, with Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and deadline-day signing Edinson Cavani stepping up to the mantle prolifically.
Reason to fear? This might seem an odd feature to pick out given his exceptional game-by-game standard over the past 12 months, but Bruno Fernandes’ impact in this United side is, frankly, indispensable.
And Solskjaer knows it. No matter the competition, Fernandes has featured in every match bar one so far this season. That being said, why wouldn’t you pick him? So often the difference-maker, Fernandes is showing absolutely no signs of fatigue.
But, is it only a matter of time before he does? More worryingly, it could cripple United should the Portuguese spend any sort of time out.
Bruno Fernandes continues to be a key player – but are United over-reliant on the Portuguese?
Fernandes is integral to just about everything United do – are they over-reliant on him? Perhaps. But while he continues to flourish, United fans can continue to dream.
TOTTENHAM
Reason to cheer? For a team which has not won a trophy, having a serial trophy-winner in the managerial hotseat seems to have invigorated the Spurs squad.
Having scraped into the Europa League last season, Jose Mourinho has made Tottenham title contenders again. Largely, that is down to a dogged but effective counter-attacking strategy which relies on defensive discipline and a lethal attack.
And there’s no doubt Spurs have both. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has been an inspired signing, while the partnership between Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min has been one of this season’s starring lights.
Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min’s partnership could fire Tottenham to greatness this season
It could be enough to mount a serious ascent to Liverpool’s throne in the coming months.
Reason to fear? With Mourinho, no matter the opposition, there just seems to be plan A – and not a lot else.
Tottenham have been criticised in recent weeks for sitting back too early in games, most notably against Wolves when they took the lead in the opening minute.
Back-to-back defeats to Liverpool and Leicester highlights that this side is far from the finished article and needs to develop an added layer of creativity when the onus is on them to take the game to their opponents.
In addition, any injury to Kane and Son – as so happened last season – could derail their challenge, in a similar manner to any absence for Fernandes at United.
Jose Mourinho needs to find a plan B for Spurs to break down teams when the onus is on them
MANCHESTER CITY
Reason to cheer? With their 3-1 win at Chelsea on Sunday night, Pep Guardiola’s team hit their fluent best in their best performance of the season.
That bodes extremely well for City, who have been indifferent in their performances up to this point.
They’re still firmly in the title race. Liverpool have had the chance to stretch their lead at the top of the table and have failed to capitalise.
With Kevin De Bruyne seemingly back to his best, Sergio Aguero returning to action and the defence finally settled, City are definitely Liverpool’s closest challengers, despite their current position of fifth.
Reason to fear? Here’s something we haven’t said about City before – a lack of goals.
Out of the top-10, City have the joint-worst record for league goals scored, with their tally of 24 level with West Ham. Southampton and Everton have scored more, as have Leeds, who are on 30.
Manchester City looked back to their best against Chelsea but need to score more regularly
With Aguero and Gabriel Jesus absent for periods through injury, it has fallen on natural wingers such as Raheem Sterling and Ferran Torres to provide the goals.
But City have struggled, with Sterling their top-scorer in the league with just four goals. With the club’s record goalscorer in Aguero back to full fitness, that can only improve – and it must if they’re to leapfrog Liverpool to the title.
CHELSEA
Reason to cheer? This is simple: don’t worry Chelsea fans, it’s not actually as bad as recent form would have you believe.
It’s funny how short memories are in football. After a 2-0 loss to Liverpool in their second game of the season, Chelsea went 17 games unbeaten in all competitions.
Lampard had his team firing and had found a reliable marksman in the still under-utilised Olivier Giroud, while Ben Chilwell and Thiago Silva have had admirable starts to their careers at Stamford Bridge.
And due to the congestion in the top-half of the table, Chelsea are still very much in top-four contention and are only three points off City, Tottenham and Everton.
Reason to fear? Despite a points tally which is far from disastrous, for £230m of summer expenditure it is not good enough.
Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, brought in for huge money in the summer, have struggled so far
Frank Lampard needs to pick up some results over the next month or his job could be in danger
The last month has been nothing short of a horror-show for Lampard, with just one win in their last six games.
More worryingly though than the results has been the manner of their defeats. They failed to show up against an Arsenal side in even worse form than themselves, dropped maximum points at Everton and Wolves and were outplayed in every department against City.
Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, for a combined summer outlay of £143m, have failed to deliver so far. And the problem is, at Chelsea, patience is not a virtue often displayed. Lampard needs results, quickly.
ARSENAL
Reason to cheer? Just when all hope seemed lost, enter Arsenal’s young guns.
From talk of a relegation fight amid a dire run of form, three impressive victories sees Arsenal looking upwards rather than behind their shoulder. Amazingly, top-four should now be the ambitious target.
That is large in part due to the efforts of their academy starlets, with Bukayo Saka continuing to be their standout player and Emile Smith-Rowe working himself into an automatic starter spot over the past week.
Youngsters such as Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe have turned round Arsenal’s fortunes
A mention to Kieran Tierney too, who has been near-faultless with his aptitude and attitude. A future Gunners captain in the making.
Reason to fear? Despite three wins in three, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has failed to find the back of the net and his lack of confidence remains a huge concern for Mikel Arteta.
The Arsenal skipper, a club legend due to his FA Cup heroics in August and handed a lucrative new deal as a result, has scored just twice from open-play in the league so far this season.
A particular low point was his goal at the wrong end against Burnley at the beginning of December. Arteta himself has said Aubameyang needs to start firing if his side are to find some consistency.
At 31, time is not exactly on Aubameyang’s side. He’s certainly earned some time to right the wrongs of this season so far, but an all-firing Aubameyang completely changes the threat of this team.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is still short of form and Mikel Arteta needs his captain firing
WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER TOP-HALF CONTENDERS?
Reasons to cheer?
Leicester – Once again, Brendan Rodgers’ side are the surprise package at the top of the table. The question now is, can they keep it up?
At the back end of last season, the Foxes fell off a cliff as they let a Champions League place slip through their fingers.
But with Jamie Vardy continuing to fire and James Maddison pulling strings behind him, Leicester are quite the force. In fact, their continued ascent should no longer be a surprise.
Everton – The Toffees have uncovered a gem in Dominic Calvert-Lewin, whose early-season form was strikingly good.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin started the season with a bang and will be integral to Everton’s season
The England international has dropped off in recent weeks but his influence, even if he’s not on the scoresheet, remains instrumental.
With a starting XI full of talent, after the impressive acquisitions of James Rodriguez, Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure in the summer, European football remains very attainable for Carlo Ancelotti’s men.
Aston Villa – Dean Smith’s side were a goal away from relegation last season but have been the standout surprises this season.
Propelled by the summer signings of Ollie Watkins and Ross Barkley, Villa sit impressively in seventh spot after 17 games and have recorded the best result of the season too, in their 7-2 win against champions Liverpool.
But it is Jack Grealish who is still Villa’s star attraction. Finally an England regular, the captain has taken his game to another level. Dazzling and dynamic in equal measure.
Jack Grealish has arguably been the league’s standout player for an overachieving Aston Villa
Reason to fear?
Leicester – Consistency, much like last season, could be Leicester’s downfall as the season progresses.
Their squad is not as strong as those around them, with Vardy in particular difficult to replace in terms of end-product.
With the Cup and Europa League targets too, Rodgers will have to find the right balance with his squad, or another late-season burn-out could transpire.
Leicester’s Brendan Rodgers needs to use his squad wisely to avoid another late-season slump
Everton – Again, consistency to get results week-in week-out should be Ancelotti’s primary concern.
Wins against Arsenal, Chelsea and Leicester have to be caveated against defeats to West Ham, Leeds and Newcastle in the past two months.
But due to the inconsistent nature of the league across the board so far, Everton are still bang in contention.
European football is achievable for Carlo Ancelotti’s side – if they can find consistency
Aston Villa – Grealish’s outstanding displays means suitors, whether at home or abroad, are bound to come calling.
There is also a case of just how ambitious Smith should be, given Villa’s current position. Avoiding the drop was the goal at the start of the season – it is testament to his work so far that that is not a conversation anymore.
But whether it be this month, or likely the summer, Villa may find themselves unable to obstruct Grealish’s ambitions. Then again, for the boyhood fan living the dream, it will be down to the man himself.