Southampton to be the new Derby ’08? Five things you might have missed from today’s PL action

The festive round of the Premier League continued unabated, with five matches played on Sunday afternoon.

Defending champions Manchester City, who are experiencing an uncharacteristic slump, faced relegation-threatened Leicester City. This was followed by four 3 PM games, all but one of which took place in the nation’s capital.

The day would culminate in a late kick-off match between West Ham and Liverpool.

With so much happening, it’s easy to miss an important or memorable event. But don’t worry—Squawka is here to highlight several key moments you might have overlooked.

28th time’s a charm

After excelling on loan at Girona last season and being dubbed the reincarnation of Garrincha, there were high expectations for Savinho. However, the Brazilian winger has struggled to make an impact due to inconsistent playing time. Although he started his season with two assists in his first four appearances, he has found it challenging to score goals.

Despite his efforts, it took him until his 28th shot of the season to find the back of the net against Leicester, marking his first Premier League goal. Before today’s match, he had recorded the most shots of any player in the league without scoring this term. Savinho would then cap off a strong performance by assisting Erling Haaland’s goal, which doubled City’s lead and ultimately ended a four-game winless run.

Haaland won six out of eight duels, including all four aerial duels, which is the highest or tied for the highest number he has achieved in a Premier League game this season. Additionally, although City only had 46% possession, this was just the third time he has recorded over 30 touches in a Premier League match this term. Savinho and captain Kevin De Bruyne both played the full 90 minutes. It seems De Bruyne may be something of a lucky charm for the team.

There’s been a lot of discussion about Manchester City struggling without Rodri, but could the real issue be De Bruyne not starting? City has lost only one of their last 34 Premier League matches when De Bruyne is in the starting XI (27 wins and six draws). That solitary defeat occurred against Manchester United earlier this month, and City was leading 1-0 when De Bruyne was substituted.

Jekyll and Hyde

You never know which Tottenham team will show up on any given weekend. When Hwang Hee-Chan put Wolves ahead in the seventh minute, supporters could be forgiven for fearing a long day ahead. Spurs entered today’s match having not won any of their previous four Premier League home games, conceding 13 goals while scoring only eight themselves. Despite the chaos, the Lilywhites have frequently shown a fighting spirit under Ange Postecoglou, although they can occasionally be criticised for their naivety.

Spurs turned the match around and went into the break leading 2-1, thanks to goals from Rodrigo Bentancur and Brennan Johnson, despite Son Heung-min missing a penalty. Since Ange Postecoglou took charge of Tottenham, no other team has earned more points from losing positions at home, accumulating 27 points before this match, with Liverpool in second place at 21 points. However, they couldn’t maintain their lead, as Jørgen Strand Larsen ensured Wolves left North London with a draw. It was, in essence, another point earned by Spurs from a losing position at home, yet it would still feel like a loss.

Another one for Robinson

Antonee Robinson, a contender for the Premier League’s top left-back position, was moved into midfield in the previous match against Chelsea and continued in that role against Bournemouth today. Being further up the field naturally allowed him to create more opportunities, and he assisted Harry Wilson for Fulham’s second goal, helping them retake the lead after Evanilson had equalised following Raul Jimenez’s opener.

Robinson now has seven assists for the season, which is three more than any other defender. In fact, he is the only defender with 10 assists in the Premier League for 2024, doubling the count of any other player. Dango Ouattara would register an 89th-minute leveller, and with the contest ending 2-2, the Cottagers extended their unbeaten run to seven matches, five of those (including against Tottenham, Arsenal, and Liverpool) ending in a stalemate.

Number one deadlock breakers

Following a remarkable streak of three clean sheets in their last four Premier League home matches, including the last three on the bounce, Everton entered today’s match with a strong sense of confidence regarding their defensive capabilities. However, their aspirations for another shutout were dashed within the first fifteen minutes when Chris Wood broke his three-game goal drought.

This goal was particularly noteworthy, as it marked the 15th time high-flying Nottingham Forest broke the deadlock in the Premier League this season, which is the most of any side in England’s top division. Wood in the second half turned provider, creating Morgan Gibbs-White’s effort, sealing a win that leaves Forest in second with Arsenal and Chelsea yet to play. An incredible turnaround under Nuno Espírito Santo.

Saints in deeper trouble

There is no managerial bounce for Southampton, as Ivan Jurić clearly faces a challenging task. After suffering a humbling 5-0 loss at home to Tottenham, the Saints recorded their third consecutive defeat, leading to the dismissal of Russel Martin. Jurić, the former Roma boss, made his debut in a narrow 1-0 loss against West Ham.

In their most recent match, Crystal Palace claimed a 2-1 victory despite Southampton taking an early lead. As a result, Southampton now sits with just six points after 19 games. The lowest total ever recorded in a single Premier League season is 11 points, achieved by Derby County in 2007-08, and even they managed to secure seven points by the halfway mark.

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