Manchester United’s defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers headlines the Premier League’s Boxing Day motion to this point, which has delivered blended outcomes for a number of of England’s prime sides.
Relegation-threatened Wolves booked themselves a spot above the drop zone with a win over United, with the sport’s lone purpose coming instantly from a nook kick taken by Matheus Cunha within the 58th minute and Hwang Hee-chan including a second within the 99th minute. The Pink Devils weren’t helped by Bruno Fernandes’ second yellow card within the forty seventh minute however had been pretty poor from begin to end, leaving them in 14th place as issues stand.
Elsewhere in England, second-place Chelsea relinquished a one purpose lead and misplaced 2-1 to Fulham, whereas Manchester Metropolis missed a penalty in a 1-1 draw with Everton that noticed their poor run lengthen to only one win of their final 13 video games. Moreover, Tottenham Hotspur registered a 1-0 defeat in opposition to this season’s shock UEFA Champions League contender, Nottingham Forest.
Because the Premier League’s newest batch of Boxing Day video games performs out, listed below are grades for every of the groups in motion.
Premier League Boxing Day scores
All instances Japanese
- Manchester Metropolis 1, Everton 1
- Chelsea 1, Fulham 2
- Nottingham Forest 1, Tottenham Hotspur 0
- Newcastle United 3, Aston Villa 0
- Bournemouth 0, Crystal Palace 0
- Southampton 0, West Ham United 1
- Wolverhampton Wanderers 2, Manchester United 0
- Liverpool 3, Leicester 1
Manchester Metropolis vs. Everton grades
Manchester Metropolis: Even amidst the worst run of type of Pep Guardiola’s managerial profession, one might have checked out Thursday’s sport in opposition to fifteenth place Everton as an opportunity for Metropolis to reverse their fortunes. That probability got here and went identical to the opposite video games in Metropolis’s poor run, losing their 24 pictures by placing simply 5 on the right track and as soon as once more showing out of concepts in each space of the pitch. For as soon as, although, Metropolis truly had an opportunity to win the sport on a silver platter with a second-half penalty and couldn’t even capitalize there. They’re undoubtedly in a rut, and the truth that Guardiola nonetheless has not discovered an answer to their issues may be very regarding. Grade: D
Everton: The Toffees love a draw, sharing the spoils in 5 of their final seven video games. One would possibly argue that they need to search for wins at a sure level, however they are often forgiven contemplating their final three video games have come in opposition to Arsenal, Chelsea and Metropolis. They appear to have perfected the tactical stylings of supervisor Sean Dyche and efficiently stymied Metropolis, all the way down to Pickford’s huge save with a penalty. They stand an opportunity of choosing up the most important results of the day, too, so it is a job effectively executed for Everton. Grade: B
Chelsea vs. Fulham grades
Chelsea: The Blues might have come into this one because the favorites, however they had been outplayed by Fulham and paid the value for it by conceding two late objectives. Palmer might have given them the lead with a Sixteenth-minute strike, however they had been unable to command the sport after the actual fact and had been arguably second-best in most classes. That features their assault, which is amongst the Premier League’s greatest with 38 objectives this season however was inconsistent on Boxing Day – they put eight of their 12 pictures on the right track however had been outdone by Fulham’s 14 pictures and posted 0.9 fewer anticipated objectives than the eventual winners. It is unclear how severe Chelsea had been as title contenders, however this loss will little question be an enormous hit to their probabilities. Grade: F
Fulham: The race for European berths is poised to be a aggressive one this season within the Premier League, largely as a result of groups like Fulham are stringing collectively encouraging performances. Thursday’s efficiency was an instance of simply that – regardless of conceding an early purpose, they slowly however absolutely clawed their means again into the sport with Harry Wilson‘s 82nd-minute equalizer and Rodrigo Muniz‘s Ninety fifth-minute winner. In addition they outdid Chelsea’s spectacular assault, outshooting the Blues 14 to 12 and producing 1.95 anticipated objectives alongside the best way. Grade: B
Nottingham Forest vs. Tottenham Hotspur grades
Nottingham Forest: On Thursday, Forest’s defense-first strategy served them effectively but once more, efficiently stifling Tottenham’s league-leading offense by limiting them to simply 4 pictures on purpose from 13. It helps to make the most of the opponent’s depleted protection simply as soon as to safe one other useful win, one which takes them third place and continues to solidify their standing as lead contenders for a berth in subsequent season’s version of the Champions League. Grade: A
Tottenham Hotspur: In a sport of a well-performing protection and the Premier League’s greatest assault, the latter ended up shedding and it provides one other layer of concern in a season of inconsistency for Spurs. The one which usually works for Ange Postecoglou’s aspect, on good days and dangerous ones, is their assault however they may most likely be sad with the truth that they performed Forest evenly on anticipated objectives. Add to that Djed Spence‘s second yellow card within the 94th minute, this was a Boxing Day to neglect for Spurs. Grade: D
Newcastle United vs. Aston Villa grades
Newcastle United: The hosts had been already the higher aspect by the point Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran picked up a straight purple card within the thirty second minute, however Newcastle United made certain to not waste the extra benefit. They finish Boxing Day with one of many extra lopsided victories of the vacation in consequence, bolstering their very own case as a possible participant in subsequent season’s Champions League competitors. Grade: A
Aston Villa: It looks like nearly every thing went flawed for Aston Villa, who had been already down a purpose two minutes in after which performed the ultimate hour down a participant. They had been unable to handle greater than 4 pictures and a single try on the right track in consequence, although a lot of that will probably be attributed to the influence of Duran’s purple card. Thursday’s sport could be an outlier by way of their efficiency, however the truth that they’ve now slipped all the way down to ninth place is a worrying signal. Grade: F
Bournemouth vs. Crystal Palace grades
Bournemouth: Recent off a 3-0 win over Manchester United, Bournemouth had alternatives to attain however had been unable to seek out the again of the web on Thursday. They had been arguably wasteful, placing up 18 pictures however mustering simply 1.33 anticipated objectives and taking solely 4 pictures on purpose. It could have been two factors missed for the Cherries, who’re within the hunt for European competitors and presently sit in sixth place, nevertheless it doesn’t really feel like a document scratch for his or her sturdy season to this point. Grade: C
Crystal Palace: To some extent, Crystal Palace held their very own in opposition to a formidable Bournemouth workforce however nonetheless provided nothing to write down house about regardless of choosing up a degree on Boxing Day. It would simply be a useful level for Palace, who’re presently three factors above the relegation zone, however a workforce that near the drop usually means they ceaselessly go away one thing to be desired of their performances. That was the case for Palace on Thursday, for certain. Grade: C
Southampton vs. West Ham United grades
Southampton: Even with out Russell Martin, Southampton didn’t abandon their attack-minded strategy on Thursday and edged out the opponents in pictures and anticipated objectives. That stated, the Saints will probably be very disillusioned by the truth that they didn’t truly handle to show 17 pictures and 1.86 anticipated objectives into an precise purpose, leaving some useful factors on the desk and doing little to climb out of final place. Grade: F
West Ham United: A win is a win, maybe, however West Ham didn’t cowl themselves in glory by barely beating the Premier League’s worst workforce. They managed simply two pictures on the right track in opposition to the league’s most porous protection and as talked about, misplaced many of the attacking battles to the Saints. The Hammers are nonetheless locked into that tight midtable that features Tottenham and Manchester United, however even when they’re simply 10 factors away from the highest 4, Julen Lopetegui’s aspect didn’t do a lot to persuade them they will stand up the desk. Grade: D
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Manchester United grades
Wolverhampton Wanderers: It could not have been essentially the most entertaining efficiency, however Wolves got here out on prime in an evenly contested sport in opposition to United and picked up a useful three factors alongside the best way. Whether or not that is simply a part of a brand new supervisor bounce beneath Vítor Pereira or an indication of extra to come back is but to be determined, however gritty wins are the trademark of a workforce that is wanting to get out of the relegation battle, so a seventeenth place spot on the finish of Boxing Day will go well with them simply effective. Grade: B-
Manchester United: Each sport appears to be a reminder of United’s shortcomings today, irrespective of the context. United must be adequate to beat a relegation-threatened aspect however within the midst of one other season of lows, Thursday’s defeat comes as little shock. Although Cunha might have stunned many by scoring an olimpico, the truth that United conceded off a set piece isn’t a surprise because it was the 18th time an opponent scored from a set piece in 2024. It was not the one subject for the guests, although – they didn’t handle greater than seven pictures and mustered simply 0.78 anticipated objectives. Including in Fernandes’ second yellow within the forty seventh minute, it was one other dangerous day for United in a means that’s changing into their trademark. Grade: F
Liverpool vs. Leicester Metropolis grades
Liverpool: Issues might not have gotten off to an ideal begin with Leicester Metropolis’s sixth-minute purpose, however go away it to Liverpool to get better with little subject. They naturally took management of the sport early on and their in-form assault was ultimately in a position to put three previous the opposition, limiting the guests to only one shot on the right track. Arne Slot’s aspect nonetheless display the benefit with which they’ve constructed a seven-point lead atop the desk, and because the solely certainly one of England’s conventional prime six to win on Boxing Day, they’re persevering with to construct a probably unshakable grip on first place. Grade: A-
Leicester Metropolis: Jordan Ayew might have put Leicester within the lead after simply six minutes, however at the same time as that purpose landed at the back of the web, it felt prefer it was simply an asterisk on one other shedding day for the Foxes. They may not discover a solution to flip that purpose into something that may change the course of the sport, which is probably not a shock however nonetheless presents a reminder of Leicester’s present scenario. They continue to be caught within the relegation zone with solely three wins to this point this season and it is arduous to see an argument proper now about how they get out of there – with or with out the context of shedding to the league leaders. Grade: F
