Sport
Premier League Christmas wishlist
Christmas is here and those within the world of the Premier League will be afforded little rest and, with a bumper festive schedule on the horizon, their celebrations will not be as rowdy as elsewhere. However, the 20 clubs within the division will want to enjoy this time of year as much as everyone else and for those who oversee each the outfits, they may well be asking Santa for an important gift or two. So who or what is on the Christmas wish list of each Premier League club ahead of the upcoming transfer window and the rest of the season.
1st. Liverpool – For Jurgen Klopp, it is a case of asking for a new treatment table and with so many injuries being collected to date, their current model must be suffering from wear and tear. More importantly though, with the Reds now top once more, the return of key names will be welcomed.
2nd. Leicester – After getting the better of Tottenham, Brendan Rodgers will praying for Jamie Vardy to stay injury free and, in an ideal world, would hope he could be cloned. With the evolution of Science not yet that advanced, the Foxes must make sure their talisman can stay fit throughout 2021.
3rd. Manchester United – It is fair to say that United have caught everyone on the hop and, with no defeat in their last seven league outings, not to mention a game in hand, are the Red Devils just one more signing away from mounting a genuine championship challenge this season?
4th. Everton – After a fantastic start and then a shaky autumn, many felt that Everton had regressed to the mean. However, the Toffees find themselves now out of a sticky situation and if they can land some additional quality in the New Year, finishing in the top four is a realistic possibility.
5th. Tottenham – What a difference a week makes. Spurs were touted as potential champions but, after recent performances, suddenly the mood has changed. With a raft of new arrivals, the midfield balance is arguably out of kilter and Gareth Bale is out of sorts, which means a creative spark may need to be found in January.
6th. Southampton – The Saints have certainly exceeded early season expectations and now they will look to be a part of the conversation regarding European football. However, with injury to Danny Ings, there is every chance their hopes of a continental away day or two, will now be derailed.
7th. Manchester City – On paper Manchester City have everything required to mount a title tilt. However, football matches are not played on paper and with Sergio Aguero picking up more niggles these days, Pep Guardiola arguably needs a new blockbuster forward amongst his ranks.
8th. Chelsea – Frank Lampard is the kid is who already has every toy known to man and is still asking for more stocking fillers. Then again, these requests may be a double-edged sword. Because if more reinforcements arrive and the manager ultimately fails, the next thing he will receive is a P45 in the post.
9th. Aston Villa – Dean Smith’s chirpy demeanour has certainly been rewarded as of late. The first entry on his Christmas wishlist will be for Villa to win their two games in hand over their Premier League rivals, they could be the wildcard in all of this. The question now though, is whether the West Midlands outfit decide to stick or twist in January.
10th. West Ham – After the start to the season that West Ham had, everyone envisaged a bleak campaign for David Moyes or perhaps him even being out of a job by now. The Scot is certainly having the last laugh now and one or two additions in January, will only aid their quest to move up the table.
11th. Wolves – Nuno Espirito Santo will have a big decision to make in January and with Raul Jimenez absent for an undisclosed amount of time, the questions regarding Wolves attacking personnel will soon need to be answered. Can the club find a short-term attacking fix before the return of the Mexican?
12th. Newcastle – In terms of league position, there should not be that many complaints from the Magpies. Of course, when you consider that everyone was expecting Saudi Arabian Oil money to arrive, the solid but unspectacular football being served is rather difficult for their fans to swallow.
13th. Crystal Palace – A 7-0 defeat at home to Liverpool will not define the Eagles’ season, but it will certainly smart for Roy Hodgson and his men. While on the topic of his men, the former England manager would do well to bring down the average age and recruit some younger personnel.
14th. Leeds – There is absolutely no doubt that Leeds are the most entertaining team in the division, it’s just that entertainment alone does not win you the necessary points and for as much attacking endeavour as they have shown, a couple of new defenders would not go amiss at Elland Road.
15th. Arsenal – Quite honestly, where do you start with the Gunners? Arguably, you start at the sharpest point of the pitch and with their attack stuttering each week and no creative spark in the middle, does Mikel Arteta have to now swallow his pride and remove the maligned Mesut Ozil from the cold.
16th. Brighton – Are Brighton unlucky or does their league position reflect their current efforts? Whichever way you look at it, the Seagulls are hovering precariously near to the relegation zone and if Graham Potter cannot get them to score more goals, they will only sink further down the table.
17th. Fulham – If the Cottagers were a rudderless ship at the start of the season, Scott Parker is slowly turning this tanker around and with a system that now looks as if it is working, a little more solidity would not go miss. If that can be sourced, they will improve their chances of beating the drop.
18th. Burnley – The Clarets are playing more like the Burnley of old and because of this, performances have improved across the board. If this can be kept up, Sean Dyche’s men will most likely stave off the threat of relegation. As always, it is a threat that could be eased with some further investment.
19th. West Brom – The Big Sam era has begun and after defeat to Aston Villa, it looks like this could be the former England manager’s toughest job. Thanks to Allardyce’s patented defensive steel, he has never been relegated from the Premier League and that is the only thing on the Christmas wishlist at the Hawthords. However, with the personnel that is at his current disposal, this record looks in great danger.
20th. Sheffield United – The Blades are looking blunt this season and although they did well to earn a point at Brighton, Chris Wilder will need so much more. The Bramall Lane outfit need someone who can find the net with alarming regularity, while making sure they are so much meaner at the back.
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