Feel free to check out my Twitter @ZONERISM and or other (recent) content of mine.

Some of it was written several days ago or so (or longer ago), therefore some numbers may not be the same (since a GW begun/other GWs began), but you may get a sense of form, trends, fixtures etc (pandemic/cup matches permitting).

Also, I wrote something about Agüero (given his recent retirement from the game) – the article * may * be edited/renewed/modernised.

| General & Season Reflections |

▪ The African Cup of Nations is currently set to go ahead (pandemic permitting).

▪ Liverpool, Chelsea and West Ham United are currently competiting in all 4/5 main competitions (Premier League, Champions League/Europa League, League Cup & FA Cup – Chelsea are set to compete in the FIFA World Club Cup – pandemic permiting.)

Tweets below by @BenCrellin

*** Liverpool Vs Leeds United (26/12/21 at 12:30)

Wolves Vs Watford (26/12/21 at 15:00)

Burnley Vs Everton (26/12/21 at 15:00)

Arsenal Vs Wolves (28/12/21 at 12:30)

Have been postponed.

***

(Updated on 26/12/21 at 21:22)

▪ At the time of writing, League Cup matches are currently set to go ahead – involving 7 Premier League teams –  Arsenal Vs Sunderland,  Bradford Vs Chelsea, Liverpool Vs Leicester City & Spurs Vs West Ham United – therefore these matches * may * affect (although numerous changes are usually made to line ups – possible injuries, suspensions can occur etc.) up and coming Premier League matches (pandemic permitting).

▪ 7 direct free kicks have been scored (Ward-Prowse, Trent, Son, Neves, Raphinha, Ødegaard & Alonso) in the Premier League in 2021/22.

Most penalties scored – 4 (Chelsea/Jorginho)

Most big chances created – Salah (11), Trent (10), Bruno Fernandes (7), Mount (6), Foden (6), Antonio (6), Mané (6), Kane (6).

| 19/12/21 | 16:30 (UK) | The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium | Spurs 2–2 Liverpool |

| Spurs Continue To Be Tough To Beat At The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium / Liverpool Hang In There With Key Players Currently Out |

▪ Spurs remain unbeaten in league matches under Conte – 5 league matches (3 wins & 2 draws).

▪ Davies plays a 5th consecutive 90 minutes under Conte, seemingly playing as centre back in a back three, the Welsh international has played his part in Spurs’ conceding less goals (1 or less conceded in 4 matches) and 3 clean sheets since the former Chelsea manager arrived.

▪ Spurs created/had 6 big chances (stat researched through the use of SofaScore).

▪ Son scores/assists at home for a 5th time in the Premier League this season – 7 goals involvements in 9 home league matches in 2021/22 – only Salah & Vardy have scored more goals at home than Son in the Premier League this campaign.

▪ Son has now scored/assisted 10 goals in the Premier League in 2021/22 (FPL assists may be included).

▪ The vast majority of Son’s attacking returns have have came against teams that are currently 10th or lower (this is not a criticism, in fact, it is a compliment – but also Son has scored against 3 or the top 4 in the Premier League in 2021/22.

▪ Kane scores his first Premier League goal at home this season.

▪ Kane and Son appeared to play as front 2 (on paper, but it may have been a front 3 of sorts with Alli linking up and getting in to advanced positions).

▪ Spurs are set play 3 of the the bottom 10 in their next 3 league matches (pandemic permitting).

▪ Spurs are now unbeaten in 8 of their 9 Premier League home matches in 2021/22 (6 wins & 2 draws).

▪ Liverpool – without Van Dijk, Fabinho, Henderson & Thiago (and 10 men with aproximately 15 minutes or so to go) – pick up a draw to go 3 points behind Manchester City.

▪ Liverpool had a high volume of shots (18) but with just 5 on target and 1 big chance created/had (partly to the credit of Spurs) but continue to be a big attacking threat and are the top scoring team in the with 50 goals scored (at the time of writing).

▪ Liverpool score their 27th & 28th goals away from home in the Premier League in 2021/22.

▪ Liverpool score 2 or more in a Premier League away match for 8th time (9 matches) in 2021/22.

▪ Trent got his 19th significant return (clean sheets, assists and goals) in the Premier League in 2021/22.

▪ Robertson’s performance was full of highs and lows in the sense that he scored and assisted a goal but conceded 2 and was sent off for the first in the Premier League in his career.

▪ The former Hull City full back is now suspended for 3 matches (in all competitions – includes the League Cup match against Leicester City in midweek) – the Scotish international has * 6 * attacking returns (goals/assists) to his name in the Premier League (12 returns including clean sheets, assists and goals).

▪ Salah fails to score/assist in a Premier League match for the first time since GW2 – the Egyptian has scored/assisted 25 goals (FPL, 24 goal involvements officially) in the Premier League in 2021/22.

▪ Jota scores his 10th Premier League goal of the season and becomes only the second player to reach double figure for goals scored in the Premier League in 2021/22.

▪ 2 of Liverpool’s next 3 opponents (Leeds United & Leicester City) in the Premier League (pandemic permitting) are in the bottom 6 for most goals conceded in the Premier League in 2021/22.

| 19/12/21 | 14:00 (UK) | Molineux | Wolves 0-0 Chelsea |

| Wolves Keep A Top 4 Side Quiet Again / Chelsea Drop Points Again |

▪ Wolves (8th) keep their 7th clean sheet in the Premier League in 2021/22.

▪ Wolves keep back to back clean sheets (0-0 & 0-1).

▪ Wolves have conceded 1 goals or less against the top 3 – Vs Chelsea (0-0), Manchester City (1-0) & Liverpool (0-1).

▪ Chelsea (3rd) draw their 5th league match of the season (6 points off leaders Manchester City).

▪ Kante starts/plays a Premier League match for the first time since GW12.

▪ Chelsea keep their first clean sheet since beating Leicester City (0-3) in  GW12.

▪ Chelsea draw a consecutive Premier League match.

▪ Chelsea have now dropped points in 3 of their previous 4 Premier League matches.

▪ Chelsea fail to score in a Premier League match for the first time since GW6 – Vs Manchester City (0-1).

Despite the goalless draw at Molineux, and the lack of goals from out and out strikers/number 9s (4 of their 39 league goals have been scored by Lukuku & Werner – currently unavailable), Chelsea have had 16 different scorers in the Premier League in this season.

| 19/12/21 | 14:00 (UK) | St.James’ Park | Newcastle United 0-4 Manchester City |

| Manchester City Win A 8th Consecutive Premier League Match / Newcastle United Concede 2 Or More At Home Again |

▪ Manchester City (1st) win an 8th consecutive Premier League match.

▪ Cancelo becomes the 16th different player to score for Manchester City in the Premier League in 2021/22.

▪ Cancelo gets his first attacking return(s) – (goals/assists) since GW12 – Vs Everton (3-0).

▪ Cancelo gets a ‘defender hat-trick’ (a clean sheet, a assist and a goal).

▪ Cancelo now has 14 significant returns (clean sheets, assists and goals) in the Premier League in 2021/22.

▪ Manchester City score 2 or more in a 6th consecutive Premier League away match.

▪ Manchester City remain unbeaten away from home in the Premier League since GW1.

▪ Newcastle United concede 2 or more in a Premier League home match for the 6th time in 2021/22.

| 18/12/21 | 17:30 (UK) | Elland Road | Leeds United 1–4 Arsenal |

| Leeds United Fall To Another Heavy Defeat To A Top 6 Side / Arsenal Score 4 Away From Home To Remain 4th |

▪ Leeds United are beaten by a top 6 side (current) for the 6th time (3 defeats by 3 goals or more) in the Premier League in 2021/22.

▪ Raphinha had 4 goal attempts.

▪ Raphinha scores/assists in a Premier League home match for the 6th time in 2021/22.

▪ Raphinha (now wears the number 10 shirt) scores his 8th Premier League goal of the season (only Vardy, Jota and Salah have scored more).

▪ Arsenal win their 10th Premier League match of the season (8 have been against teams 9th or lower.)

▪ Arsenal win their 3rd Premier League away match of the season (2 have come against the bottom 5).

▪ Arsenal created/had 6 big chances.

▪ Arsenal had 14 shots in the box.

▪ Smith-Rowe scores his 7th league goal in 2021/22.

▪ Martinelli scores his 4th Premier League goal of the season – 2 shots on target in the match – 3 of his 4 league goals this campaign have been in his two previous appearances (GW18 & GW17).

▪ Lacazette & Saka score/assist in back to back matches (GW18 & GW17) – Lacazette returns in a 3rd consecutive match.

▪ Arsenal win a Premier League away match by 2 goals or more for the first time since beating Sheffield United (0-3) in April.