The Premier League is well and truly back!! For a large section of fans, football is a large part of their festive diet and it can be said for the fact that they were served the most delicious footballing cuisine this boxing day.
Every game was a spectacle worth waiting for, there were 34 goals scored across 10 games in this round of fixtures. The average number of goals per game was 3.4, which is quite high compared to the current season(2.9) as well as the world cup (2.68).
Key Takeaways
This round of fixtures pretty much confirmed what we already knew: Newcastle is good, Arsenal is great and Haaland is simply out of this world🤯. However, it also provided further evidence of already developing subplots like:
a. Liverpool would not give up the champions league slot without a fight. They were ruthless against Aston Villa and would surely be more dangerous than before, having signed one of the most exciting talents in Europe: Cody Gakpo.
b. Wolverhampton Wanderers might be heading in the right direction under the guidance of former Real Madrid manager Julen Lopetegui. While they are still in the relegation zone, the loan signing of Matheus Cunha, from Atletico Madrid, would provide further impetus to their attack.
c. Southampton and West Ham United could see themselves in a long relegation battle as both these sides have lost their last 4 games.
Players to watch out for
With all this action having finished just on Wednesday, fans are eager for another round of fixtures coming right way on New Year’s Eve. And, the performance of the following stars could light up the New Year’s fireworks even more:
Forwards
a. League’s top four scorers added more goals to their already impressive tally with Erling Haaland (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspurs), Ivan Toney (Brentford), and Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham), all finding the back of the net. Their goals would surely be a deciding factor in their club’s performance in the new year.
b. Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal) and Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) both scored this week for their teams and could have a season that might define their careers.
Tip: For 10.1 credits, Newcastle United’s forward Miguel Almiron (1018 points) could be an inspired addition to any team, much like his contribution to Newcastle’s success thus far.
Midfielders
a. Rodri (Manchester City) and Casemiro (Manchester United), both defending midfielders by trade, were heavily involved in the attacking aspect of the game with the former scoring a goal while later assisting one. This could be an interesting battle to see who claims the title of the best defensive midfielder in the premier league (and mostly in the world).
b. Joelinton (Newcastle United) and Adam Lallana (Brighton), both known for their skills rather than their goal-scoring prowess, chipped in with a goal at an important point for their team this week.
Tip: For 10.6 credits, Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard (955 points) would surely be a safe bet with the midfielder orchestrating much of arsenal’s attacking display this season.
Defenders
a. Tim Ream (Fulham) and Virgil Van Dijk (Liverpool) scored crucial second goals in their teams' win in addition to their defensive duties.
b. Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United) and Andrew Robertson (Liverpool) further enhanced their reputation as the premier league’s best right back and left back respectively. Their performances are key to their team’s recent success.
Tip: For 6.2 credits, Brentford’s Ben Mee (748 points) continues to be a reliable presence in the defense for Brentford, having done the same for Burnley for over half a decade.
Goalkeepers
a. Jose Sa (Wolverhampton Wanderers) made crucial saves to ensure Julen Lopetegui's era at wolves starts with a much-needed premier league victory.
b. Kepa Arrizabalaga (Chelsea) produced another assured display by keeping a clean sheet, giving a graham potter a positive dilemma over the preferred goalkeeper.
Tip: For 4.8 credits, Fulham’s Bernd Leno (645 points) could be a surprise pick as Fulham would see a challenging fixture list in the new year.
What Next?
So there you have it, a comprehensive preview of the quality players who are set to light up the English Premier League. Now all that is left to do, is to pick your team and make sure you win the Krida Fans fantasy game!
This New Year is more enjoyable because you can use promo code “XMAS2022” and get 20% off your entry fees. If you want to test it out, then you can join the KridaFans platform for free too.
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