Table of Contents
Hello there! The festive matches are just around the corner and there’s plenty to keep an eye on after an entertaining weekend of Premier League fixtures. I’m Pardeep Cattry with the latest version.
📺 Foot correction
Always US/East
Monday December 23
🇮🇹 Serie A: Inter vs. Como, 2:45 PM ➡️ Biggest+
Tuesday December 24th
🌏 Gulf Cup of Nations: Oman vs. Qatar, 09:25 ➡️ ESPN+
Wednesday December 25
🌏 Gulf Cup of Nations: Yemen vs. Saudi Arabia, 9:25am ➡️ ESPN+
Thursday December 26
🏴ꠁԠԠԠԠԠ EPL: Manchester City vs. Everton, 7:30 ➡️ USA Network
🏴ꠁԠԠԠԠԠ EPL: Chelsea vs. Fulham, 10am ➡️ Peacock
🏴ꠁԠԠԠԠԠ Championship: The Golazo Show, 10am ➡️CBS Sports Golazo Network
🏴ꠁԠԠԠԠԠ EPL: Wolves vs. Manchester United, 12:30 PM ➡️ USA Network
🏴ꠁԠԠԠԠԠ Championship: Derby County vs. West Brom, 12:30pm ➡️ Biggest+CBS Sports Golazo Network
🏴ꠁԠԠԠԠԠ EPL: Liverpool vs. Leicester, 3pm ➡️ USA Network
🏴ꠁԠԠԠԠԠ Championship: Stoke City vs. Leeds, 3pm ➡️ Biggest+CBS Sports Golazo Network
⚽ The forward line
🔴Liverpool remains top at Christmas
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Liverpool held on to top spot in the Premier League for another week and secured a four-point lead at Christmas after a chaotic 6-3 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
The Reds took a 5-1 lead in the 61st minute and exuded the ease that Arne Slot’s team has become known for in his first season at the club. They got past the opposition press with little trouble and regularly took advantage of the mistakes made by the Spurs backline in dealing with a defensive injury crisis. It was the latest demonstration that Slot’s Liverpool resemble the real thing, seamlessly making a major tactical change for a side used to Jurgen Klopp’s high-intensity approach. A first hour defined by Liverpool’s acumen was also crucial to surviving the final thirty minutes of the match.
Spurs pulled two goals back to make it a 5-3 game in the 83rd minute, although Luis Diaz’s second goal two minutes later officially put the game out of reach for the North Londoners. This was the fourth time in Liverpool’s last five Premier League games that they have conceded more than two goals in a match, and that has only happened once this season. The pattern suggests a defensive instability that was nowhere to be seen earlier this season, but the growing similarity between Slot and Klopp’s Liverpool teams is that the new manager can rely on his impressive attack just as much as his predecessor. The Reds have only suffered one defeat this season and managed to win two of the four games in which they conceded more than two goals.
Liverpool’s four-point lead over Chelsea in second place, plus the match they are proud of, reaffirms the feeling that they still have the title to lose, even with around half the season to go. History is also in the Reds’ favor at the moment, with 10 of the last 15 teams to occupy top spot at Christmas having won the Premier League title.
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🔗 Link play in midfield
🎁 Manchester City, United Boxing Day goal restored
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This week’s Premier League action is highlighted by the eight matches scheduled for Boxing Day, including two crucial games for Manchester City and Manchester United following their losses last weekend.
Reigning champions City enter the festive matches in seventh place, four points shy of a place in the top four and thirteen points behind leaders Liverpool. The latest in a string of poor results was a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday, extending their poor form to just one win in their last twelve games. Their defeat last weekend made it clear the rut City are in. Few things went right for the reigning champions and manager Pep Guardiola seems unable to come up with solutions to their problems. As James Benge writes, every tactical decision against Villa felt like the wrong one, leaving City looking surprisingly helpless.
- Benge: “Many teams seem to be getting a lot right against City at the moment. If there is always bullying about one problem in your team, the coach has to make adjustments. That opener was perhaps only the third or fourth of dozens of positive moments.” , starting in the 16th second, when City’s high line had been demolished by Villa. Of course, adjusting to life without Rodri, whose Ballon d’Or case in absentia is already becoming increasingly compelling, is easier said than done.
Once again they will be under pressure to put things right against Everton on Thursday, which will be no small feat. The Toffees’ rough start to the season has given way to decent form, successfully utilizing manager Sean Dyche’s favored instincts. They just recorded a 0-0 draw against Arsenal and Chelsea, the latter result on Sunday being particularly notable because The Blues be one of the best scoring teams in the Premier League. That doesn’t exactly bode well for City, who are struggling in terms of goals with just fourteen goals in the last twelve.
Elsewhere in England, Manchester United will hope to bounce back from a difficult week when they take on relegation candidates Wolverhampton Wanderers on Boxing Day. The Red Devils’ week started well with a surprise 2-1 win over Manchester City, but a 4-3 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in midweek and a 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth on Sunday brought them back down to earth . The last two results alone point to defensive issues that have plagued United long before the arrival of manager Ruben Amorim a month ago, but how much that will haunt them on Thursday remains to be seen. United will be favorites against 18th-placed Wolves, themselves under a new manager in Vitor Pereira, but their opponents have plenty of goals in store after scoring 27 times in 17 league games so far.
🔗 Top stories
🇪🇸 La Liga title race: Atletico Madrid’s stoppage-time winner led them to a victory over Barcelona and took them top of the La Liga table before the winter break.
🇪🇺 Conference League draw: Chelsea advanced straight to the round of 16 of the UEFA Conference League, while 16 other teams went head-to-head in the knockout play-off round for a place in the last 16.
1️⃣ MLS SuperDraft: Expansion team San Diego FC selected UC Santa Barbara midfielder Manu Duah with the first overall pick in Friday’s MLS SuperDraft.
🌲 McKennie returns: Weston McKennie discusses his evolution at Juventus, Mauricio Pochettino’s reinvention of the USMNT and giving back to disadvantaged youth through his foundation in an exclusive interview with CBS Sports.
💰The Back Line
💵 Best bets
- Serie A: Inter vs. Como, Monday, 2:45 p.m
💰 THE CHOICE: Inter wins 3-0 (+850) – Inter may be known for their defensive solidity, but last week’s 6-0 win over Lazio showed that the reigning Serie A champions can run the score when they feel like it. Expect Inter to show similar attacking prowess against Como on Monday, whose -10 difference suggests they could be on the wrong end of a lopsided result just before Christmas. - Premier League: Chelsea vs. Fulham, Thursday, 10am
💰 THE CHOICE: Christopher Nkunku scores (+120) – Chelsea are second in the Premier League thanks to an in-form attack, scoring 37 goals in 17 league games this season. Expect them to continue to score goals against Fulham on Boxing Day, including one from their top scorer Christopher Nkunku, who has 12 goals in all competitions so far this season.
For more picks, predictions, expert tips and the latest betting news, don’t miss CBSSports.com’s betting homepage.
📺 What’s on CBS Sports Golazo Network
☀️ Morning Footy (Weekdays 8-10am): Hosts Susannah Collins, Charlie Davies, Nico Cantor and Alexis Guerreros help fans get their day started on the network’s flagship morning show with highlights, interviews and the biggest football storylines. Morning Footy is also available in podcast formso you never miss an episode again.
3️⃣ Attacking third (Monday, Thursday): The leading ladies football podcast And social brand is now a live studio show. The NWSL season is back and our coverage of the women’s game is stronger than ever. Our analysts will analyze the USWNT, NWSL and European domestic seasons throughout the year. And don’t miss it Wednesday livestreams on YouTube at 11 a.m. ET.
⚽ Call it what you want (Monday and Thursday): a weekly podcast with Jimmy Conrad, Charlie Davies and Tony Meola cover all things USMNT and the state of the beautiful game in the United States. You can watch the show live on YouTube every Monday at 1:00 PM ET and Thursdays at 6:00 PM ET.
🥅 Scoreline (Daily): Scoreline is the latest place for fans to keep up to date with all the biggest news and results impacting global football, match highlights from the best football leagues and all the unmissable goals from the day’s action, which starts on Thursday and airs for seven days a week.
📺 How to watch: CBS Sports Golazo Network is a free 24/7 channel solely focused on providing unparalleled coverage of all the top football leagues worldwide. You can stream for free on the CBS Sports App, Pluto TV And Biggest+.