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Liverpool will start 2021 in a familiar position at the top of the Premier league but with a rejuvenated United manchester leading a group of challengers who are within striking distance.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team would join the champion with 33 points if they beat Aston Villa on Friday, and Jurgen Klopp’s men won’t be in action until Monday.
But just seven points separate Liverpool from next rival Southampton, down to ninth place, giving clubs a chance to dream.
AFP Sport looks at some of the main talking points ahead of the weekend’s action in the English top flight.
Jurgen Klopp said he was not “too frustrated” after seeing his side tied scoreless in Newcastle on Wednesday.
But wasted points denied Liverpool the comfort of a five-point lead over bitter rivals United heading into the New Year.
The leaders have now drawn three of their last five Premier League games, including last weekend’s disappointing 1-1 draw against West Brom.
Midfielder James Milner has noted Manchester United’s rise and has warned injured Liverpool that they must “kick” or risk losing their crown.
Liverpool and United are the two most successful clubs in English football history, but they have rarely been at their best at the same time.
It would take a brave bettor to back Liverpool, and bookmakers consider Manchester City more likely to win than their neighbors.
But despite lingering doubts about United’s defense, there is a sense of momentum at Old Trafford and a growing belief that they could mount a proper title challenge for the first time since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
The weekend’s most eye-catching game pits Frank Lampard’s Chelsea against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, coronavirus permitting.
Chelsea seem to have found a good balance after an early loss to Liverpool, embarking on a long undefeated streak, but have lost their way in recent weeks, scoring just four points in their last five games.
They are now tied at 26 points with City, who also have two games in hand after quietly putting together a series of impressive results after a slow start to the campaign.
Despite the group of teams within the attacking range of the Premier League summit, none of the coaches will want to risk falling further behind Liverpool, who have the ability to carry a long unbeaten streak.
The reason Guardiola’s team has an extra game on hand is because their match against Everton this week was postponed due to a Covid-19 outbreak at City.
Training for the first team was resumed and the club said that a new round of testing had not revealed any new positive cases.
Following the City update, the Premier League issued a statement confirming that Sunday’s game at Chelsea is still active.
Just a few weeks ago, José Mourinho’s Tottenham were at the top of the Premier League and seemed to be a credible challenge at every inch.
They are now seven points off pace after two draws and two losses in their last four games, and had to face additional frustration this week from a postponement imposed by the coronavirus.
Mourinho said his team should do more to kill matches after conceding at the end of a disappointing 1-1 draw against Wolves.
His mood was not helped by the postponement of Spurs ‘home game against Fulham on Wednesday three hours early after a coronavirus outbreak at the visitors’ camp.
Tottenham host Leeds, who scored for free, on Sunday in an appetizing clash, with Marcelo Bielsa’s men just three points behind Spurs after recovering from their 6-2 humiliation at Old Trafford with two wins.
