Can Liverpool banish set-play blues?
Liverpool vs Leeds – 5.30pm, Wednesday – live on Sky Sports Main Event
Liverpool have won their last three league games, having won just two of their previous 10 beforehand. The ship is steadying. But Arne Slot still has problems to solve. His most glaring headache must be the rate at which his side continue to concede from set-pieces – 12 so far, the joint-worst record in Europe.
When Liverpool went to Leeds in early December, they were pegged back by this very issue, falling to a late Ao Tanaka equaliser from a corner.
Over 50 per cent of Liverpool’s goals conceded have been from set plays (including penalties) this season.
Here presents the opportunity to right some wrongs, then. Leeds are exceptionally good from set-pieces – the anomaly among those ranked inside the top five most effective. Daniel Farke’s side have scored 12 set-play goals, equal to Arsenal, and only one behind Manchester United’s league leading 13. 48 per cent of their total goals have been scored this way.
This meeting is therefore the perfect test of Slot’s vow to improve in this area, having parted company with set-piece coach Aaron Briggs just this week. If they don’t tidy up, Leeds are more than capable of inflicting punishment. And Slot can ill-afford more fuel on the set-piece fire.
Laura Hunter
Thursday 1st January 5:00pm
Kick off 5:30pm
Fulham boss Silva bidding for history against goal-shy Palace
Crystal Palace vs Fulham – 5.30pm, Wednesday – live on Sky Sports Premier League
Two teams that are level on points but in differing form meet at Selhurst Park on New Year’s Day.
Crystal Palace are winless in their last five games in all competitions, with a hectic month of December fixtures taking its toll.
But Fulham are on the march as they bid for a fourth consecutive league win – and only once before have they ever won four in a row in the Premier League.
The Cottagers will fancy their chances too of equalling their record run, with Palace struggling in front of goal right now.
Oliver Glasner’s side had just two shots on target in Sunday’s home loss to Tottenham and have scored just once in their last three league games.
It is no surprise to see Palace moving for Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson after agreeing a £35m deal for the Wales international, who was Spurs’ top scorer last season.
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After Crystal Palace agreed a fee of £35m for Brennan Johnson, we take a look at his best Premier League goals for Spurs
If Fulham manage to keep a clean sheet in south London, then it would be history for Marco Silva, as he would become the first manager to have kept six consecutive away clean sheets against the same opponent in the Premier League.
A Fulham shut-out would also heighten Palace’s need for the arrival of Johnson and further January signings if the Eagles are to start moving in the right direction in 2026.
Declan Olley
Thursday 1st January 5:00pm
Kick off 5:30pm
Man City becoming complete package again
Sunderland vs Man City – 8pm, Wednesday – live on Sky Sports Main Event
Manchester City are hitting peak. On a six-game winning run, this is the most formidable they have looked since the back end of 2023/24, when they won their final nine en route to the Premier League title.
Plenty has and continues to be made of their flush attack, constantly evolving to reveal new dimensions: Rayan Cherki is the latest revelation. He’s been involved in eight goals in his last nine league appearances. But this squad is more than style and sparkle at the top end.
Pep Guardiola has found a settled formula at the back, too, naming the same four to start in 11 of 18 games so far. Of those 11 games, 10 ended in victory – the only exception being a 2-1 loss at Newcastle.
With Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias at the heart of things, City have two athletic centre-backs who can play, and balance the left and right sides perfectly. Jointly they have also chipped in with six goal contributions.
Flanking those two are a pair of former central midfielders, Nico O’Reilly and Matheus Nunes, perfectly equipped to provide robustness off the ball and creativity on it. Their energy to get up and down is what Guardiola likes, akin to a prime Kyle Walker, and means City are less vulnerable to counter-attacks.
With both full-backs providing width, City’s forward players can flood central areas to create overloads and find Erling Haaland more consistently. Late underlapping runs, something O’Reilly is particularly good at, are difficult to track and add another layer of unpredictability.
This current Manchester City setup is unlike anything we have seen before, and it would be wrong to assume its effectiveness is solely down to Haaland and Co. Pep’s structure is solid at both ends; not far off being the complete package.
Laura Hunter
Thursday 1st January 7:45pm
Kick off 8:00pm
Frank returns to Brentford for first time aiming to earn same love at Spurs
Brentford vs Tottenham – 8pm, Wednesday – live on Sky Sports Premier League
Before the start of the season, not many would have expected Tottenham boss Thomas Frank to be going back to Brentford at the start of 2026 with his new club below his old one.
But that is the case on his first return to the Gtech Community Stadium, where he was manager for six-and-a-half years and was universally worshipped.
“Brentford Football Club, the fans and especially the people that I worked closely with, have a special place in my heart,” Frank said at his pre-match press conference.
Six-and-a-half months into the job at Tottenham, he has yet to feel the same love and affection from the Spurs supporters.
Sunday’s pressure-lifting win at Crystal Palace was much-needed and has given Frank hope of getting 13th-placed Spurs moving upwards with a decent run of fixtures ahead.
A win on New Year’s Day would put them into the top half of the table and have them back in European contention.
But Frank of all people knows his side face a sterner examination than at Selhurst Park, with Brentford a force at home – something he masterminded, and that has been superbly maintained by his successor, Keith Andrews.
The Bees have won eight of their last 12 Premier League home games, including four of the last five under Andrews. In fact, since the start of that 12-game run in April, only Man City (11), Aston Villa (10) and Arsenal (9) have won more home league games than Brentford.
Thursday 1st January 7:45pm
Kick off 8:00pm
It will be an unfamiliar feeling for Frank to be in the opposite dugout at the Gtech Community Stadium.
But if he sees a familiar Brentford home performance unfold which his Spurs side cannot counteract, then it could well be a miserable homecoming for Frank.
Declan Olley
