Monday Morning Football: Our writers give their verdicts on all the weekend's Premier League games
Our writers were all over the country at Premier League games on Saturday ... this is what they saw. If you're interested in what happened at Wembley, where Tottenham finally broke down Burnley's rearguard, you can read Charlie Eccleshare's report here. Southampton earned Ralph Hasenhüttl his first win with victory over Arsenal and Sam Dean has all the news from St Mary's. Chelsea romped home at Brighton under the gaze of Matt Law while Liverpool and Xherdan Shaqiri opened up a 19-point gap over Manchester United when they waltzed through a storm at Anfield.
The story of the Premier League weekend
Family presence helps Jesus settle on and off the pitch
By James Ducker at the Etihad Stadium
Gabriel Jesus returned to the dressing room at half-time at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday to find a missed call from his mum, and another one at full-time. Vera Lucia Diniz de Jesus rings her son whenever he scores for Manchester City, but those couple of calls will have felt particularly special for the young Brazil striker, and not just because his struggles in front of goal this season have meant she has not had to pick up the phone too often in such circumstances.
No, it was extra special because his mum was in the stadium to watch him bludgeon Everton in the flesh, not 6,000 miles away in Sao Paulo, and not on some fleeting visit either. Some will consider it a happy coincidence that Jesus ended his four-month wait for a Premier League goal in the week his immediate family finally moved to Manchester for good but the player saw it differently. “My confidence is back because my family is here and it helps me a lot,” he said. “I need my family in this moment.”
As well as his mum, Jesus’s two older brothers, his two-year-old nephew and a couple of close friends also arrived in Manchester early last week and Pep Guardiola, the City manager who has made a concerted effort to talk up his second choice striker even when his form has raised concerns, believes it could be just the spur the 21-year-old needed.
O Mimi é pé quente demais ��������⚽️⚽️
A post shared by Gabriel Jesus (@dejesusoficial) on Dec 15, 2018 at 9:34am PST
“We can’t forget that football players are human beings and there are many players who have the talent but are in bad, bad form because of personal issues,” Guardiola said. “Maybe getting divorced, things not going well at home, problems with their mum, dad, whatever, and that can influence things a lot on the pitch, more than people can imagine or expect and sometimes we don’t know it.
“That’s why Gabriel has that feeling that, with his family here, he will be calmer, better. I could not live without my family, for example. I have always had the feeling he’s a good lad in the locker room. He’s always with Bernardo, and especially the Brazilian guys, always chatting, laughing, making jokes.
“But it will be good for him having his family here. Being alone, a young player - I don’t think he’s got a girlfriend, he’s not married - so to have his family here will be so important to him and I think it’s going to help him.”
There was a conviction to the way Jesus took both his goals, sweeping one shot inside Jordan Pickford’s near post and later powering a header past the Everton goalkeeper, that has seldom been in evidence of late. Everton did rally, pulling a goal back through Dominic Calvert-Lewin, before Raheem Sterling restored City’s two-goal cushion three minutes after coming on, but Marco Silva’s side squandered chances to score again late on.
It was around this time last year that Jesus’s troubles began with a knee injury sustained against Crystal Palace. Soon after, a couple of family members had to return to Brazil due to visa issues, and while City would go on to win the Premier League title in record breaking fashion, Jesus disappointed at the World Cup in Russia and those struggles continued this season. It certainly seemed a reflection of his poor form that, in the absence of the injured Sergio Aguero, Guardiola elected to start Raheem Sterling at centre-forward over Jesus against Chelsea but the Everton match represented a striking return to form.
It is a relatively minor point but Guardiola also thought it was telling that Jesus should have chosen the week his family set up camp in Manchester to conduct his first interview in English. “I insist on the players having to learn English because sometimes I have the feeling he maybe doesn’t understand me when I speak in English so it’s important to have that feeling that he’s speaking English much better,” Guardiola said.
Jesus’s return to form coincided with Kevin De Bruyne’s comeback as a substitute from a six week injury lay-off, and with Aguero also on the bench after missing the previous four matches with a muscle problem, Guardiola has the cavalry coming back in time for Christmas. De Bruyne can already see the title race going to the wire with Liverpool.
“I don’t know why they [Liverpool] can’t sustain it - I think they will go on to the end,” De Bruyne said. “I’m not too worried about them. They’ll try to keep pace with us and vice versa but it’s still early.”
Raul Jimenez feeling at home at Wolves, but admits it's too cold
By John Percy at Molineux
Wolves will delay a decision on Raul Jimenez’s future until the end of the season, but the Mexico international has revealed he already feels part of the Pack.
Jimenez has scored five goals since signing on loan from Benfica and Wolves have the first option to sign the striker for around £30million in a permanent deal.
The 27-year-old endured abysmal, sub-zero weather conditions at Molineux on Saturday but clearly feels at home and is emerging as a key player under Nuno Espirito Santo, with a predatory strike against Bournemouth.
“I’m going to keep working and doing my job here. I want people to think I am someone they want to have here, but we have to wait and see what decisions they take,” he said.
“I don’t know if I might stay yet, that decision does not belong to me. I feel good here, I’m fine, but that’s the decision of other people.
“We feel amazing. We know that we have a great team to compete and we’ve done good things to be in this position. Maybe we can go up in the table.
“It’s too cold but if it means we win all our games when the weather’s like this then the weather doesn’t matter, I’ll keep playing in it.”
Wolves secured their third successive top-flight victory for the first time since 1980 and never looked in trouble against Eddie Howe’s injury-ravaged team.
Jimenez gave the hosts a 12th minute lead with a close-range strike before Bournemouth’s Tyrone Mings added to Howe’s injury list by limping off with a back problem.
Though Bournemouth did improve they never appeared capable of troubling goalkeeper Rui Patricio and Wolves substitute Ivan Cavaleiro raced clear in added time to put the result beyond doubt.
Bournemouth have now lost six of their last seven games and face Chelsea in the Carabao Cup quarter-final at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.
Nathan Ake, the defender, said: “It’s a tough one to take but it’s one where we have to learn and take it into next week.
“It’s hard to say what has changed since the start of the season. We still have a good enough team, we have shown that before, so we just need to pick ourselves out of this hole and get it going.”
Domingos Quina underlines his immense talent in Watford win
By Gerry Cox at Vicarage Road
West Ham's loss looks to be Watford's gain as Domingos Quina became the club's youngest Premier League goalscorer to cap another mature display and seal Javi Gracia's first victory in seven games.
Quina only turned 19 last month but has been turning heads for some time as one of Portugal's most talented young prospects, helping them win the European Championship at under-17 and under-19 levels.
His pedigree is unquestioned, as the son of former Benfica and Portugal defender Samuel Quina, and the youngster developed in the Lisbon club's academy before moving to Chelsea's youth ranks.
Arsenal and Barcelona were both interested in signing him, but he chose to join West Ham two years ago in search of a quicker path to first-team football. But after making his debut in the Europa League at 16, he rarely got near the first-team and decided to leave this summer.
Watford snapped him up for £1million, and appear to have a bargain. Quina was impressive last Monday on his full Premier League debut, at Everton, and again this weekend he caught the eye with an all-action display topped off with a superb goal.
Relatively short and slight, with a physique not unlike N'Golo Kante's, the young Portuguese shares the same dynamism as the Frenchman and looks like he will be a huge asset to Watford, who signed him with minutes to spare on transfer deadline day in August.
“I think it was very close, but I couldn't tell you how many minutes,” Quina said on Saturday evening. “I don't worry about off-field things. My main feeling was that I did not want to leave England so I wanted to go for it.”
His lack of opportunities at West Ham influenced his decision to join Watford, and he is determined to make the most of it. ''Yes, that's my main focus, to get as many games as I can and gain experience and try to get better. I am very settled because I am doing well. I have always wanted to be playing first-team football and the manager and Watford are giving me the chance to do that.”
Gracia is delighted with his acquisition. “I didn't know much about Domingos before he came,” said the manager.
“Now I can see him every day training. It is enough for me to see his level, his desire, his ambition. It is good for me to work with these young players.”
Gracia is not concerned about his size. “I don't know if he is big or small - he is a good player and that is the most important thing. You have to put players in. I have done it at other clubs: Paulo Fornals at Malaga who is now at Villarreal, Samu Castillejo who is now playing at AC Milan. You just have to put them on the pitch and if they are good, then you can see their level. It is up to them and he (Domingos) is doing it.”
Quina got his chance because Etienne Capoue was suspended and experienced midfielders Will Hughes and Tom Cleverley were injured. Cleverley made his comeback as a late substitute against Cardiff, who rallied with two late goals from Junior Hoilett and Bobby Reid after Gerard Deulofeu, Jose Holebas and Quina had put Watford 3-0 ahead.
Capoue will be available again, but Quina may have earned his place. “This is competitiveness,” added Gracia.
“We need it because all of them are playing well with better results. Now I have a difficult moment to choose the players who will play the next game. It is good for the players, team and the club.”
The fact Watford's next game is at West Ham adds spice for Quina, who was diplomatic by not commenting on his reasons for leaving. “I want to play as many games as I can, not only because it is West Ham,” he said.
“I am just trying to reach my targets, one of which was to be playing in the Premier League. I regard myself in a high place. People can think I'm not good enough to play in the Premier League but I think am good enough. Game by game, gaining minutes, I can show that. I see myself at Watford. If I can get 10-15 games this season, it would be a great achievement for me personally.”
Salomon Rondon shows Huddersfield what they're missing
By Mike Whalley at John Smith's Stadium
For most of his three years in charge at Huddersfield Town, David Wagner has been looking for the solution to a lack of goals. Finding it is now a matter of urgency.
Wagner has achieved minor miracles given that he has never had a prolific striker to count on; his team were promoted from the Championship in 2017 with a negative goal difference, and they stayed up last season, despite failing to score in 21 out of 38 Premier League matches.
The head coach had hoped to push on this season, but instead, his team have gone backwards. His summer transfer activity has brought little reward; of the five senior players new to the club, only full-back Erik Durm is a regular starter. In addition, Huddersfield’s two senior centre-forwards, Steve Mounie and Laurent Depoitre, have not scored since last spring.
It is a recipe for relegation, and wing-back Chris Lowe knows it. “We know what we have to do better,” Lowe said. “The only thing we can do is try to work on all these things to make it better over the next few weeks and try to turn it around.”
Huddersfield have not been helped by the loss of midfielder Aaron Mooy, their main creative outlet, until February with a knee injury. Lowe is fully aware, though, that his team should not be relying so much on one player.
“Of course we can get goals without Aaron,” Lowe said. “He’s a central midfielder. Usually, you need goals from your offensive players and Aaron is not a proper offensive player. Him being injured should not be an excuse for not scoring or winning games.”
Huddersfield’s attacking weaknesses were laid bare on Saturday as they fell further into relegation trouble with a fourth successive defeat. Depoitre was never quite in the right place to get on the end of the occasional crosses that did come his way and, when he tried to operate as a target man, supporting runners were nowhere to be seen.
Mounie will be available after suspension for next weekend’s home match against Southampton, and may well replace the Belgian, but Huddersfield will still have to tweak their approach to get better results. That a team created so few clear chances with 74 per cent possession should be a major cause for alarm.
They could do with Salomon Rondon. The Venezuelan, on a season’s loan at Newcastle United from West Bromwich Albion, is used to playing the thankless role of a lone centre-forward with minimal support. His work ethic has never faded during a testing season in the north east, and he is now getting the rewards.
The striker swept in Javier Manquillo’s low cross on the run, 10 minutes into the second half, to finish off a high-quality counter-attack for his fourth goal in six matches. Manager Rafael Benitez, who wanted to sign Rondon permanently last summer, still hopes to do so. “It will be fine,” Benitez said. “Hopefully, he can start scoring a lot of goals, and then you can ask me this in a few weeks and hopefully it can be positive then, too.”
Newcastle’s win, which eased their own relegation concerns, was a handsome payback for the players’ decision to cancel a scheduled Christmas party in London over the weekend, in order to focus on getting away from trouble.
“We can have a Christmas party whenever we want,” midfielder Ki Sung-yueng said. “Maybe in March.”
Vicente Guaita keeps Leicester at bay in 'beautiful debut'
By Tom Prentki at Selhurst Park
“Beautiful” is not the adjective most would have immediately reached for following Crystal Palace’s narrow victory in gloomy south-east London on Saturday, but it is the one Vicente Guaita, the Palace goalkeeper, chose to describe his Premier League debut for the club.
The 31-year-old was mostly quiet for a game largely without incident but made one outstanding save to divert Jamie Vardy’s shot on to the post before the ball rebounded back into his arms.
“First, I have to make the save, stay on my feet a little,” said the former Valencia player. “The most important thing was to get a hand on it, whether it goes wide or hits the post and comes back to me.”
Guaita, who has joined Julian Speroni in providing back-up to Wayne Hennessey, had another scare when Vardy put the ball in the net, only for it to be ruled out for a foul on the keeper. “My team-mates told me that Vardy was fast, a good player who plays hard,” Guaita said. “I went to kick the ball, and he clearly fouled me. There is a difference in the amount of contact there is in England and Spain, but a foul is a foul whatever country you’re in.”
Manager Roy Hodgson told of his delight at having what he described as “three excellent goalkeepers” and praised Guaita after the late decision to start him. “Poor Vicente Guaita has had to wait to show what he can do. I was never in any doubt he would do well,” he said. Hodgson had expected Hennessey to be fit to play but turned to Guaita after his back problem failed to settle.
“It’s a spasm. It’s something he suffers from due to his build – he’s very tall and straight-backed. He came in on Friday morning, but no, he’s out. He can’t play,” he said.
Leicester face Manchester City On Tuesday in the quarter-final of the League Cup at the King Power Stadium. Manager Claude Puel, who was frustrated with their showing here, predicts they may not see much of the ball against Pep Guardiola’s men. “We need to use it with good quality, without rushing. We need to give our best without the ball for a long time,” he said.
West Ham take prize for best recruiters
By Sam Dean at Craven Cottage
A worrying weekend for Fulham was made worse by the obvious and troubling contrast between their struggling summer recruits and West Ham United’s match-winning signings. Both sides spent around £100 million in the summer, but only one of these teams is starting to reap the rewards of that investment.
The performances on Saturday of Felipe Anderson and Issa Diop, two of West Ham’s most significant arrivals this summer, underlined how easily a team can be improved by the right recruitment. By contrast, the difficulties of the likes of Alfie Mawson, Andre Schurrle and Jean Michael Seri showed what happens when those big-money gambles do not pay off.
Fulham have lacked the solidity that West Ham have discovered in Diop, a £22m signing from Toulouse, and on Saturday they had no attackers as devilish as Anderson, the £36m Brazilian who is improving at a startling rate.
There are structural issues behind all this, of course. And it would perhaps be too simplistic to say that Claudio Ranieri’s side would have won the game if Diop and Anderson were wearing white instead of claret. But what cannot be argued is that Fulham’s new signings are still trying to adjust, while West Ham’s are now beginning to define matches at both ends of the pitch.
Anderson, in particular, is looking more dangerous with each passing week. He was behind both of West Ham’s goals at Craven Cottage, scored by Robert Snodgrass and Michail Antonio, and that club-record fee is looking more reasonable with each explosive dribble or cunning pass.
“I don’t like to think of the money they cost,” said Manuel Pellegrini, the West Ham manager, of Anderson. “I think those evaluations must be made at the end of the season. He is 25 years old and I think he will continue improving. Maybe at the end of the season he will be a cheap player.”
Anderson’s form also tells the story of West Ham’s season. Like his team-mates, he struggled at the start of the campaign, when they lost their first four fixtures. But he has grown used to the demands of the Premier League and has been the key figure in this run of four consecutive victories. With fixtures against Watford, Southampton, Burnley and Brighton up next, West Ham can realistically hope to end the calendar year with their sights set on a European place.
“I think that the players always believed from the first game in what we were doing,” Pellegrini said. “During pre-season we worked in one way and when we didn’t have a great start we continued saying exactly the same and working the same way. I never felt like they had any doubts in their worst moments. Now, with good results, of course they trust in this.
“They are improving a lot, especially Issa Diop because he is a very young player. I am happy with the squad more than individual names. To be in this position in the table when we started [so badly] is not easy and that belongs to the whole squad.”
The worry for Fulham, who remain at the foot of the table, is that there has been little sign of improvement in the month since Ranieri replaced Slavisa Jokanovic. Upcoming fixtures against Newcastle United and Huddersfield Town, in particular, represent opportunities to kick-start their season before it is too late.
Five thrilling stats
1
None of Tottenham’s last 21 Premier League games have ended level, with Spurs winning 16 and losing five since a 1-1 draw at Brighton in April.
2
Huddersfield posted a 73.6 per cent possession figure vs Newcastle, the highest of any side to lose a Premier League game this season
3
Crystal Palace enjoyed their first victory in 14 Premier League games without Wilfried Zaha appearing (L13), since beating Sunderland 3-2 on September 24th 2016.
4
Manchester United have now conceded 29 goals in the Premier League this season; one more than they did in the entirety of the 2017-18 campaign.
5
Southampton are the first team to score three headed goals in a Premier League game since West Brom did so versus Swansea in December 2016. Saints last achieved this themselves in October 2001 (vs Ipswich).
Goal of the weekend
The move was started by Newcastle keeper Martin Dubravka, the quick passing catching out Huddersfield. Javier Manquillo’s cross was swept home by Salomon Rondon, who timed his run perfectly.
Jason Burt's team of the weekend
Manager A first win, as soon as possible is important for any new manager but it will be all the sweeter for Ralph Hasenhüttl that he achieved it by ending Arsenal’s 22-match unbeaten run – and with Southampton scoring three goals. The appointment of the Austrian was a shrewd move by Southampton, the kind of hire they came up with when they brought Mauricio Pochettino to the club. If Hasenhuttl can come close to emulating that Southampton will be fine.
Who's showing the most cards?
How is the table looking?
Off the Ball
Hammers in party mood
The footballer fraternity is often accused of being pampered and remote, but former West Ham players Marlon Harewood and Carlton Cole gave Hammers fans a Christmas treat by turning up at the “away pub” before Saturday’s London derby at Fulham, resplendent in festive jumpers and Santa hats. They gave a lusty rendition of I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles. Maybe not a Christmas No 1 contender, but it still went down a storm.
When @CarltonCole1 & @Mazer_9 turned up in the away pub yesterday...
Absolute legends. pic.twitter.com/akqtmdO7xj— West Ham United (@WestHamUtd) December 16, 2018
Fellaini’s a loose cannon
Just when you thought things could not get any worse for Manchester United at Anfield, Marouane Fellaini sent a shot at goal so wide it knocked over a steward sitting on a stool near the corner flag (left). A penny for Jose Mourinho’s thoughts.
Jos drops the F bomb
The pressure is finally getting to Sheffield Wednesday manager Jos Luhukay. Asked about his future after the 2-1 defeat at Swansea, the Dutchman replied: “How many times you ask me this question, f------ hell!”
Race for the Golden Boot
What's coming up next?
What's on TV this week?
Monday: Derby County vs Nottingham Forest, Championship (Sky Sports Football/Main Event, 19.45); Southport vs Tranmere Rovers, FA Cup replay (BT Sport 1 and 4KUHD, 19.45)
Tuesday: Leicester City vs Man City, Carabao Cup quarter-final (Sky Sports Football/Main Event, 19.45); Blackpool vs Solihull Moors, FA Cup replay (BT Sport 1 and 4kUHD, 19.45)
Wednesday: Hibernian vs Rangers, Scottish Premiership (BT Sport 1 and 4KUHD, 19.45); Arsenal vs Tottenham, Carabao Cup quarter-final (Sky Sports Football/Main Event, 19.45)
Friday: Wolves vs Liverpool, Premier League (Sky Sports Premier League/Main Event, 20.00)
Saturday: Arsenal vs Burnley, Premier League (Sky Sports Premier League/Main Event, 12.30); Hull vs Swansea, Championship (Sky Sports Football/Main Event, 17.30)
Sunday: Aston Villa vs Leeds, Championship (Sky Sports Football/Main Event, 13.30); Everton vs Tottenham, Premier League (Sky Sports Premier League/Main Event, 16.00)
