Manchester United's players have started to return to training on a "staggered basis" following last week's coronavirus outbreak in the first-team squad.

United initially closed their Carrington Training Complex on December 13 for 24 hours to "minimise the risk of any further infection" after several staff and players tested positive for COVID-19.

The Red Devils' Premier League games with Brentford and Brighton and Hove Albion were subsequently postponed, with the training base closing again on Thursday.

However, United announced on Tuesday that first-team operations have now resumed ahead of next Monday's Premier League meeting with Newcastle United at St James' Park.

Ralf Rangnick's side, who sit sixth in the English top flight, will then host Burnley three days later in their final match of 2021.

United also confirmed that, starting from next week's Burnley clash, all fans attending Old Trafford must demonstrate their COVID-19 status to fall in line with government guidance.

All fans aged 18 or over in England must have COVID-19 passes to enter 10,000-seater grounds or larger, or show proof of a negative lateral flow or PCR test taken within 48 hours prior, a rule that has been introduced since United's most recent home match on December 8.

The Premier League announced on Monday that fixtures will continue as scheduled during the festive period following an emergency meeting of clubs to discuss challenges brought on by an increase in coronavirus cases.

Jurgen Klopp's assistant Pep Lijnders believes it is "absurd" to force Premier League teams to play two games in the space of 48 hours amid rising coronavirus cases.

The Premier League clubs convened on Monday to determine whether fixtures on December 28, 29 and 30 should be pushed back.

Their meeting followed a raft of postponements across recent matchdays, with Liverpool's enthralling 2-2 draw with Tottenham on Sunday one of only four top-flight matches to go ahead last weekend as clubs were hit by coronavirus cases within their squads.

However, a decision was reached to play the games over the busy festive period, despite concerns from a number of clubs, including Liverpool.

The Reds face Leicester City – who have had their past two league matches postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak – in an EFL Cup quarter-final on Wednesday, before they take on Leeds United at Anfield in an early kick-off on Boxing Day.

Liverpool then travel to Leicester for a league meeting with Brendan Rodgers' side on Tuesday.

Asked about the decision in a news conference on Tuesday, Lijnders said: "Jurgen made this point really clear. We really think we have to protect our players.

"We think it’s absurd that we have to play inside 48 hours because there's a much higher risk of injury and the quality will not be as good. The moment we lose players, we have to push players through, the risk becomes bigger.

"The teams who want to play, you have to ask them in these circumstances, but I think it would be a wise decision, especially with the COVID cases here being this fresh.

"We always make recommendations. Each year, we speak with the Premier League, FA, the refs and we give our honest opinion to improve the quality of the game. That's what we did in this meeting.

"We love to work in England. The Premier League, the intensity, the quality, we love it, but we all have to respect recovery. If you want a quality game, it's important that the players don't accumulate fatigue because if our players are more fatigued, they are not as brave, not as creative, not as spontaneous."

Lijnders also believes the Premier League should be consulting with scientists over the possibility of pausing the competition as cases in the United Kingdom surge upwards.

"For me, the experts are not the managers. The experts are the scientists and doctors, and they should be asked by the Premier League," he said.

"They should ask them, not the CEOs or managers. Health always comes at position number one. The people going to hospital now, they only want one thing: to get better.

"In life you always want a lot of things but when you're sick you only want one thing and that's getting better. We are in this job to protect all players, all staff, all their family members."

Lijnders also confirmed Virgil van Dijk, Curtis Jones, Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara were all still out following positive COVID-19 tests.

"We will not rush them back; we are going to take our time. This virus is really unpredictable. We have to see if they get sick," he said.

After celebrating his second anniversary as Arsenal manager on Monday, Mikel Arteta can settle in for Christmas with his team in the top four of the Premier League.

A convincing 4-1 win at Leeds United on Saturday was the Gunners' third victory in a row the league, with young stars Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe all finding the net.

However, it wouldn't be Arsenal without a shadow looming over any potential optimism, and Arteta's ongoing problem of what to do with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang rumbles on.

Having recently stripped the Gabon international of the club captaincy following "his latest disciplinary breach", the Arsenal boss must now decide whether he can bring Aubameyang back into the fold or must cut his losses and try to move the striker on in January.

But where did it all go wrong for the 32-year-old, broadly considered to be one of the best forwards around in recent years?

Stats Perform takes a look at the player, the numbers, and whether the north London club might actually be better off without their main marksman.

Heir apparent to Henry

It felt like a statement of intent.

After spending big money to bring Alexandre Lacazette to the club from Lyon ahead of the 2017-18 season, Arsenal decided to splash out even more to add Aubameyang at the end of the following January transfer window.

Having scored 138 goals in 209 games at Borussia Dortmund, plenty was expected of him upon arrival in the Premier League, particularly as his style of play, pace and goalscoring abilities gave more than a hint of a similarity to Gunners legend Thierry Henry.

Aubameyang even took Henry's iconic number 14 shirt, but unlike the Frenchman, he needed no settling in period as he bagged 10 goals in his first 13 league appearances for the club.

Only Mohamed Salah (13) scored more Premier League goals in that time, while of players who took at least 10 shots, only Romelu Lukaku (80.0 per cent) had a better shooting accuracy percentage than his 79.17.

Arsenal finished sixth in the league that season, 12 points off the top four and 37 points behind champions Manchester City. It would prove to be Arsene Wenger's last campaign, and if there was going to be real progress, new boss Unai Emery would need Aubameyang to have an exceptional first full season in England.

That's exactly what he got, with the former Saint-Etienne striker scoring 22 goals in 36 appearances, winning the Premier League Golden Boot jointly with Liverpool pair Salah and Sadio Mane.

What had made this all the more impressive was that Aubameyang had a better minutes per goal ratio than both, registering one on average every 124 minutes, with only City's Sergio Aguero (118 minutes per goal) performing better of those who scored at least 10 goals.

Arsenal did improve in 2018-19, finishing seven points better off and one place higher, but they were still a point shy of rivals Tottenham in that elusive top four spot.

Aubameyang was also potent in cup competitions, bagging nine more, including eight on the way to the Europa League final, but the Gunners were soundly beaten by Chelsea in Baku.

Despite the agony of missing out twice on Champions League qualification, there was little doubt by this point that Aubameyang was the talisman of the team and the player Emery would have to build around to have any hope of success.

Captain Auba

After Granit Xhaka was stripped of the captaincy following an angry confrontation with fans when coming off in the 2-2 home draw with Crystal Palace in October 2019, Aubameyang was appointed as his successor, following Henry's path once again as the star man expected to lead by example.

The player seemed to appreciate the significance, posting on Twitter: "Arsenal has a great history of wonderful captains like Patrick Vieira and Tony Adams. It is a privilege to follow in their footsteps and I will honour the armband by doing my very best on and off the pitch."

Less than a week later, the man who gave him the armband was sacked, with Emery eventually replaced by Arteta in the Spaniard's first shot at senior management.

The extra responsibility and change of boss did not seem to slow Aubameyang down, scoring 22 league goals again, with only Jamie Vardy (23) grabbing more. However, the team's form was very much going in the wrong direction.

Arsenal did lift the FA Cup, with their captain scoring both goals against Chelsea to exact revenge for the previous season's Europa League defeat, but faltered in the league, finishing eighth on just 56 points, 10 off the top four, behind Wolves in seventh and nearly twice as close to relegated Bournemouth as they were to champions Liverpool.

Could Arteta get the best out of both player and team?

The notion that Arsenal could only succeed if Aubameyang was firing on all cylinders was beginning to be tested. He appeared to be doing all he reasonably could, but the overall form of the team did not seem to improve.

With a former player now in charge in Arteta, who had learned his trade under the guidance of Pep Guardiola while at City, would he also want to build around their goalscorer or try to change the mentality of a team that seemed to lack ideas if giving the ball to Aubameyang didn't work?

Although he had scored plenty, Aubameyang's minutes per goal average had lengthened again, going from 106 minutes in his first half-season to 124 in his first full season and 143 in the next.

The 2020-21 campaign was strange for everyone, with most games played behind closed doors. Arsenal finished eighth again but with five more points than the previous year and only six behind the top four.

While it was not immediately clear to see if the Gunners had improved much, if at all, under Arteta, what was noticeable was that even if they had been treading water, they had done so without the same output from Aubameyang.

He managed only 10 goals in 29 games and his minutes per goal reached a sluggish 234, significantly slower than Lacazette, whose 13 goals came at an average of one every 148 minutes, and even Nicolas Pepe, who scored 10 at an average of one every 161 minutes.

As this season has progressed, Arteta has appeared to be trying to move away from reliance on his now former captain, who has managed just four goals in 14 league games and has not scored since the 3-1 home win against Aston Villa in October.

After another insipid performance in the 3-2 defeat at Manchester United at the start of December, Aubameyang was left on the bench for the 2-1 loss at Everton, only coming on late in the game, notably after fringe player Eddie Nketiah had already been introduced.

He was then missing from the squad entirely for the win against Southampton before Arteta confirmed that he had stripped the player of the captaincy as well following a disciplinary dispute.

"We have made this decision that unfortunately is a really tough one," Arteta confirmed.

"If I had to choose, I wouldn't like to be sitting here talking about it, but we had to do it.

"When we have to make that decision, it's because it's the right one to defend the interests of the football club."

So, what next?

It would be harsh to make too much of a link, but Aubameyang has been missing from the Gunners' past three squads and they have won all three games, scoring nine and conceding just once.

They are also the joint-fifth-highest scorers in the league (27), despite the lack of goals from their one-time main man.

Against an admittedly depleted Leeds side at the weekend, what was particularly notable was how Arsenal went at their hosts from all angles, hitting the target 11 times in the first half, with six different players taking these shots.

Lacazette played a hard-working and selfless role up front, while promising wide forwards Martinelli and Saka showed energy and ruthlessness.

Should Aubameyang leave in January, the assumption would be that it relates to his disciplinary issues, but tactically, could a move actually be beneficial to both parties as well?

The player looks like he needs a fresh start, possibly to a team who are not as reliant on him as Arsenal have been for most of his time there, while the manager seems to have deliberately reduced his team's dependence on just one man.

Speaking on Monday, Arteta said of his anniversary: "It's been an incredible journey, and I am really happy and proud with the company that I have had on the journey.

"Now it is a new phase where we start to rebuild the team, we take a very clear direction with how we want to move forward with the club, a real connection between the team and supporters, the ownership and board and I think now it is excitement.

"[There is] excitement to keep driving this project forward, to keep working with this really young squad, but ready to compete, to get better and take the club back to where it belongs."

It has been an interesting first two years at the helm for Arteta, and it feels like whatever decision is made on the future of Aubameyang could well define the direction things take from here.

Aubameyang has occasionally donned a Spider-Man mask when celebrating in the past, but as far as his future at Emirates Stadium goes, there might be no way home.

Jurgen Klopp might consider the Christmas and New Year programme an "impossible" task for his stricken Liverpool team, but the Premier League has challenged its clubs to get games on over the coming fortnight.

These games can throw up season-shaping drama, with the packed calendar meaning the stakes are high and stress levels higher, and any manager that chooses to rotate his squad does so at his own risk.

Nobody wants to offer up gifts, despite Santa delivering three goals for Blackburn Rovers in 2007 – Roque Santa Cruz scoring twice in a 2-2 draw with Manchester City on December 27, and adding another in a 2-1 win over Derby County three days later.

Manchester City lead the way in the English top flight this season, ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea.

The 12 days of Christmas are traditionally considered to run from December 25 to January 5, and Stats Perform has looked at that period, assessing prospects for some of this year's games, along with a lesson or two from history.

You're top of the tree, but what makes you think you'll stay there?

In the first 10 seasons of the Premier League, from its launch in 1992-93, the eventual champions were only top at Christmas on three occasions – Manchester United in 1993-94, Blackburn Rovers in 1994-95 and United again in 2000-01.

Norwich City were the leaders on Christmas Day in that inaugural campaign, but Mike Walker's classy Canaries finished in third place in May as champions Manchester United and Aston Villa swept past the Canaries. Norwich had lost to United and derby rivals Ipswich Town in their two games leading up to the Christmas run, and back-to-back goalless draws with Tottenham on December 26 and Leeds United two days later further stifled their progress. The winless run ultimately extended to six matches, with the high-flying Canaries having their wings clipped just as the title began to look possible.

Kevin Keegan's Newcastle United famously led by 10 points on Christmas Day in 1995 and looked for all the world like runaway champions-in-waiting. Yet a 2-0 defeat at Manchester United on December 27 was an omen of what was to come as the Magpies were barged off top spot by the Red Devils come the end of the season.

Aston Villa were top at Christmas in 1998 but fell away to finish sixth, the lowest final position by any team to have sat top of the Premier League tree on December 25. They lost 2-1 at Blackburn on Boxing Day in that year, Tim Sherwood scoring a late winner, and although Gareth Southgate and Ugo Ehiogu netted to earn a 2-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday two days later, Villa's form was far from championship-winning from that point on.

As the Premier League has evolved and an elite crop of teams has developed, it has been a safer bet that the pace-setters by December 25 will go on to capture the trophy. In fact, over the past 10 seasons, the future champions have held top spot on that date on seven occasions, with Liverpool the only team to fall away from the summit in that time, dropping to second place in 2013-14 and 2018-19, and to third in 2020-21.

They climbed the mountain as snowflakes fell

Manchester United were fifth at Christmas in 1996-97, seven points behind leaders Liverpool, but Fergie's fledglings went on to win the league, and their results in late December were a big factor. They had beaten Sunderland 5-0 on December 21 and followed that with a 4-0 win at Nottingham Forest on December 26 (goals from David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Andy Cole), before sinking Leeds United two days later at Old Trafford thanks to an Eric Cantona penalty. A New Year's Day goalless home draw with Aston Villa followed, but United had a verve about them again and swept past Liverpool's 'Spice Boys' in the closing weeks.

Arsenal were sixth at Christmas in 1997-98 and 13 points behind United, but it was the Gunners who pulled off a startling comeback in this season. They launched an 18-game unbeaten run as they beat Leicester City 2-1 on December 26 and followed that by coming from behind for a 1-1 draw at Tottenham two days later. Arsene Wenger's team did not lose again in the league until their final two games of the campaign in May, to Liverpool and Villa, by which time the title had been secured. That remains the biggest Christmas Day deficit to be overhauled by a team that went on to be champions.

Manchester City were eighth on December 25 last year and still won the league, but Pep Guardiola's team were only eight points behind leaders Liverpool with a game in hand at that stage, with no team having played more than 14 games due to a delayed start to the season. City were 2-0 winners at home to Newcastle on December 26 and followed up with a 3-1 victory at Chelsea on January 3, their charge to glory gathering pace.

Merry Christmas? It's no guarantee of a happy new year

This year, there are three rounds of Premier League games spread across the 12 days of Christmas. In the past there have been as many as four, and there have been 13 occasions when teams have snaffled 10 points or more during this period.

Liverpool were the first to win all four of their games in this hectic spell, as they saw off Leicester, Manchester City, Leeds and Norwich by a combined 10-1 aggregate in 1994, only to trail home fourth in May. Jose Mourinho's Chelsea then achieved 12 days of Christmas clean sweeps in their title-winning 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons.

All the other teams to rake in double-figure points hauls from their four festive period games managed 10 points from three wins and a draw.

Only one of those 10 sides went on to capture the title: Manchester United in the 2010-11 season. United also had a 10-point tally from 2004-05, and two other sides have hit that mark twice: Arsenal (1993-94 and 2004-05) and Sheffield Wednesday (1993-94 and 1994-95). Tottenham, Wimbledon, Liverpool and Manchester City are the other teams to have done so.

They delivered the goods

Manchester United have the best per-game record at this time of year, pulling in 2.19 points on average in the Premier League era. Of teams to have spent more than one season in the top flight, Arsenal are next (1.99), followed by Liverpool (1.96) and, surprisingly, Blackburn (1.88). United's legendary former manager Alex Ferguson reeled in a league-leading 135 points from 61 games during the 12-day run, with a hearty plus-74 goal difference, while his great rival at Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, earned 132 points from 62 matches.

Ferguson and Jose Mourinho lead the way with an average of 2.21 points per game over the 12 days, among managers with more than 20 such games behind them.

Befitting his status as the Premier League's all-time top scorer, Alan Shearer is ahead of all the rest in the goals stakes, having hit 23 during this period, five clear of next in line Robbie Fowler.

A bad Christmas? It doesn't mean your goose is cooked

A diabolical 12 days of Christmas can be a retrievable mid-season mishap.

There have been 49 instances of teams losing all of their games over this period in a season. Among those, Everton in 1993-94 and West Brom in 2010-11 have played the most games in the 12 days – four games each for a zero-point return. The snowballing run of defeats almost proved hideously costly for Everton, who needed a famous 3-2 win over Wimbledon on the final weekend of the season to survive, but West Brom finished in the relative comfort of 11th place after their bleak midwinter, albeit following a February change of boss as Roy Hodgson replaced Roberto Di Matteo.

The bottom three from Christmas Days past have gone on to be relegated three times, with Derby County, Leicester City and Ipswich Town suffering that fate in 2001-02, Wigan Athletic, QPR and Reading sliding into the Championship after the 2012-13 campaign, and last season’s turkeys – Fulham, West Brom and Sheffield United – also sinking into the second tier.

The good news for Norwich, Newcastle and Burnley – the current top three – is that clearly this rarely happens. Bottom side Norwich have history to wrestle with, given only three of 26 last-placed teams on December 25 in the 20-team era (since 1995-96) have avoided the drop.

There have been 37 instances of teams being in the Premier League relegation zone on Christmas Day but finding a way to survive.

Newcastle face Manchester United, Everton and Southampton in their festive games this year, and it may be a concern that manager Eddie Howe has a career points average of just 0.87 in games played from December 25 to January 5 (W2, D7, L6).

Burnley boss Sean Dyche can better that, taking an average of 1.12 points per game (W5, D4, L8) into assignments against Everton, Manchester United and Leeds.

Norwich will hope Dean Smith can summon his Aston Villa festive form, having achieved 1.67 per game at this time of year while in his former job (W3, D1, L2). Arsenal, Crystal Palace and Leicester await Smith's men this year.

Canaries knocked off their perch

A morsel from Norwich's Premier League past might serve as a salutary tale for mid-table clubs that feel secure about their Premier League status by now.

Norwich were seventh on Christmas Day in 1994, far from trouble, but their season imploded and they finished 20th, suffering relegation from the then 22-team league.

They had a crummy 12 days of Christmas, losing 2-0 at home to Tottenham and 1-0 at Nottingham Forest on successive days – December 26 and 27 – before undoing some of that damage with a 2-1 home win over Newcastle on New Year's Eve, only to be thumped 4-0 at Liverpool on January 2. They would not win another Premier League game until they beat Ipswich 3-0 on March 20.

Nightmares can occur after Christmas, as well as before.

Matthijs de Ligt's agent Mina Raiola is ready to find the defender a new club.

The outspoken representative suggested he could join Barcelona, Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain.

He also indicated the Premier League was of interest to the Juventus centre-back.

 

TOP STORY – CHELSEA FRONTRUNNERS TO LAND DE LIGT

Chelsea are leading the race to sign Juventus defender De Ligt, claims The Sun.

Raiola has indicated the 22-year-old is ready to leave Juve, who are off the Serie A title pace this term.

Chelsea are expected to lose a host of defenders and eager to make a move for De Ligt.

 

ROUND-UP

- Cashed-up Newcastle United have an eye on Inter forward Edin Dzeko as well as a loan deal for Manchester United's Anthony Martial, reports The Sun.

Manchester United have been in touch with River Plate about 21-year-old Argentinean forward Julian Alvarez, claims Ole.

United are also set to win the race to sign Olympique Marseille midfielder Boubacar Kamara according to FourFourTwo.

- Gerard Romero claims that Tottenham will make another move for Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet after missing out on him last transfer window.

- Fabrizio Romano reports that Jonathan Ikone's move from Lille to Fiorentina is agreed with only the paperwork left to be signed on a five-year deal with a €15m fee.

Jack Grealish and Phil Foden have been warned about their off-field behaviour by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola after being pictured on a night out.

Grealish and Foden dropped out of City's starting line-up for Sunday's 4-0 win at Newcastle with Guardiola hinting post-game that the decision was not rotation.

On Monday, The Telegraph published a photo of the pair believed to be at a nightclub following last Tuesday's 7-0 rout of Leeds United.

According to the report, City staff were unimpressed with the condition of Grealish and Foden when they arrived at a recovery session the next day, with Guardiola absent to attend Sergio Aguero's retirement conference in Barcelona but kept informed on the situation.

"I pay a lot of attention to behaviour on and off the pitch," Guardiola said after Sunday's game.

Guardiola added on BBC Radio 5 Live: "And when off the pitch is not proper they are not going to play.

"So they have to be focused all the time because the distractions in the Christmastime and everything that happens - you have to still be focused."

Grealish and Foden along with John Stones were the only changes from the starting XI that beat Leeds, with the latter used as a 70th-minute substitute against the Magpies.

The City manager had labelled Grealish as "outstanding" after he scored in the win over Leeds last week.

The Premier League revealed there were 90 new positive COVID-19 cases among players and club staff last week – more than double the previous seven-day high.

With a spike in infections causing six of the past weekend's games to be called off and a number of clubs to close training grounds, such figures were anticipated.

The previous weekly peak had been 42 positives, which was the figure announced last Monday for the previous seven days.

As the new figures emerged, it was disclosed that 16 per cent of players in the league have not yet had a first vaccination during the pandemic.

The Premier League said a record 12,345 COVID-19 tests were carried out from Monday, December 13 to Sunday, December 19, resulting in a clear picture of how widely the impact of the coronavirus is being felt.

The league said, in a statement issued on its website, that players and staff were undergoing daily lateral flow tests and twice-weekly PCR testing as part of emergency steps to deal with the crisis.

The news of the number of positive cases came on the day the Premier League elected to plough on with fixtures rather than choose a 'circuit-breaker' spell of no games for a short period in the hope of driving down infections.

Two more rounds of games are scheduled before the end of December; it had been rumoured the games from December 28-30 would be postponed to ease pressure on already stretched squads.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said on Sunday it would be "impossible" for his team to play all their scheduled games in the coming days, as the virus and illnesses limit his options.

Klopp was without his first-choice midfield trio and key defender Virgil van Dijk for Sunday's 2-2 draw at Tottenham. As well as league games, his team have an EFL Cup quarter-final against Leicester City on Wednesday. They then face Leeds United at Anfield on December 26 before tackling Leicester again, this time in the league, two days later.

The Premier League said it was liaising with government and local authorities, along with supporter groups.

The first signs of supporters staying away from games have been observed, with just 45,421 present for the Tottenham-Liverpool game, around 15,000 down on capacity.

Mikel Arteta says he is "excited" to "take the club back to where it belongs" with a young Arsenal squad after two years in charge.

Arteta was appointed Arsenal head coach on December 20, 2019, and won the FA Cup and the Community Shield in his first year in the job.

However, the Gunners have not played in the Champions League since slipping out of the competition towards the end of Arsene Wenger's tenure. 

Arteta believes the rebuilding work has been done, with six players under the age of 24 arriving in the most recent transfer window and the club sitting fourth in the Premier League.

"Now it is a new phase where we start to rebuild the team, we take a very clear direction with how we want to move forward with the club, a real connection between the team and supporters, the ownership and board and I think now it is excitement," Arteta told Arsenal's official website.

"Excitement to keep driving this project forward, to keep working with this really young squad, but ready to compete, to get better and take the club back to where it belongs."

The excitement Arteta feels does not just extend to the young players that he brought in at the start of this season, but also those he inherited, including 20-year-old Gabriel Martinelli.

The Brazilian was used sparingly at the start of the season, but has featured regularly since coming off the bench to score in the 2-0 win over Newcastle United on November 27.

The forward has started each of the last five Premier League games, scoring four times and registering two assists, and Arteta feels he has developed well away from the limelight, learning to harness his natural energy and enthusiasm.

"You cannot play every action at 100mph, it is impossible," Arteta continued. "It is not very efficient for you because you burn yourself out after a few minutes, and then you are just chasing a situation and not reading exactly what is needed. 

"Gabi is doing much better at that. We have to try to [develop] that without losing the passion, the energy and this capacity he has to just affect the game with the way he acts on the pitch.

"He trains incredibly hard, he is always willing to do more and he is not scared or afraid to take risks, and that is what I like about him.

"I can imagine [playing against him] - you're not going to have any time on the ball, every time the ball is 50/50 he is going to chase it and he's going to use his body, his speed, his technical ability to get away from you. 

"You have to be careful, because he can attack you one-v-one, he can attack your back, he can make movements off the ball. He is a real threat in front of goal."

The Premier League has confirmed that fixtures will continue as scheduled during the festive period following an emergency meeting of clubs on Monday to discuss challenges brought on by an increase in COVID-19 cases.

Six fixtures in England's top flight were postponed at the weekend, while Chelsea made an unsuccessful request for their game at Wolves to be called off too due to a rise in cases at the club.

There are two more rounds of games scheduled before the end of December, and it had been rumoured that gameweek 20 – beginning on December 28 – would be postponed to ease pressure on already stretched squads.

However, a statement from the Premier League on Monday confirmed that "while recognising a number of clubs are experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks and challenges, it is the league's collective intention to continue the current fixture schedule where safely possible".

It added: "The health and wellbeing of all concerned remains our priority and the league will continue to monitor and reflect public health guidance, always proceeding with caution.

"A range of issues were discussed at this afternoon's meeting, including the adaption of the Premier League COVID-19 postponement process in response to the impact of the Omicron variant."

The league also confirmed that 92 per cent of players and club staff have received one, two or three COVID-19 vaccination doses, with 84 per cent of players on the "vaccination journey".

With calls for more transparency from the Premier League in recent days, the statement added: "No specific details as to clubs or individuals will be provided by the league, and player vaccination rates will now be publicly communicated at the end of each month, beginning in January."

It has also been confirmed that replays for the third and fourth rounds of the FA Cup are to be scrapped, while the Football League confirmed its competitions' fixtures will continue to be played "where it is safe to do so".

Manchester City made history by putting Newcastle United to the sword and Arsenal also set a Premier League record in their thrashing of fragile Leeds United.

Rampant City ran riot at St James' Park on Sunday, hammering the relegation-threatened Magpies 4-0 to ensure they will be top of the table at Christmas.

Pep Guardiola's side took their tally of top-flight victories in 2021 to 34, bettering a record they had shared with Liverpool.

Depleted Leeds handed out far too many gifts in the season of goodwill, dishing out a 4-1 drubbing as Marcelo Bielsa's side were blown away in the first half at Elland Road on Saturday.

Second-placed Liverpool had to settle for a 2-2 draw at Tottenham in an eventful game for Andy Robertson on Sunday.

The fixture list was hard hit due to COVID-19 outbreaks, but there was no shortage of quirky Opta facts from the matches that went ahead.

 

No presents from Pep for struggling Howe

City can celebrate Christmas at the top of the tree for the first time since 2018, with Liverpool having been at the summit in the last three seasons.

It has been another memorable year for the champions, who not only set a record for number of top-flight wins but have also scored the most goals in a year by a Premier League team.

Not forgetting that football was indeed played before 1992, City's total of 106 goals in the top flight in 2021 sees them match a figure last set by Liverpool back in 1982. Aston Villa, however, hold the all-time top-flight record with a staggering 120 in 1930.

It has been a very different story for Newcastle, who conceded 79 times in the league this year, matching an unwanted record Ipswich Town set in 1994.

Eddie Howe will be glad to see the back of City, as the Newcastle head coach has lost all 11 matches against them – the worst 100 per cent losing record by any boss against one club in the history of the competition.

Ruthless Arsenal make Leeds suffer 

Leeds were thumped 7-0 by City in midweek and they gift-wrapped Arsenal three points with a naive display, even if injuries must be taken into account (all nine of Bielsa's substitutes were aged 21 or under, with 15-year-old Archie Gray among them).

The Gunners extended their winning run to three matches after dominating the first half, Gabriel Martinelli scoring twice and Bukayo Saka putting them 3-0 up at the break.

It could have been worse for the Whites, as Arsenal had 11 shots on target in the first half – the most on record (since 2003-04) by any side in the opening 45 minutes in a Premier League match.

With Emile Smith Rowe also on target, it was the first time Arsenal have had three players aged 21 or younger on the scoresheet in a Premier League game (excluding own goals).

Kalvin Phillips was once again sorely missed by Leeds. The Yorkshire club have lost 12 of their 15 Premier League games when the England midfielder has been absent.

Robertson turns from hero to villain

Liverpool are three points behind City after they were held by Spurs, having come from behind to lead 2-1 in the capital.

It was an eventful match for Robertson, who was unable to complete the 90 minutes after being shown a red card for a tackle on Emerson Royal.

The Scotland captain was given his marching orders eight minutes after putting the Reds in front and he also set up Diogo Jota's equaliser. Since Jota's Liverpool debut in 2020, only Christian Benteke (a former Red) has scored more headed Premier League goals than the Portugal forward (six).

Robertson became the first player to score, provide an assist and be sent off in a Premier League game since Aleksandar Mitrovic for Newcastle in May 2016, also against Spurs.

Harry Kane got the opener in an enthralling encounter, netting just his second league goal of the season and his first one at home since May.

That means Kane's last three home league goals for Spurs have all come under different managers – Jose Mourinho, Ryan Mason and Antonio Conte.

Tottenham are out of the Europa Conference League, with UEFA awarding Rennes a 3-0 victory after the Premier League club were unable to play their final group-stage game due to a number of COVID-19 cases.

Spurs were scheduled to host Rennes on December 9, but five staff members and eight players tested positive for COVID-19 and the game did not take place.

The outbreak in the Spurs camp also forced the postponement of their Premier League clash with Brighton and Hove Albion, while last week's scheduled meeting with Leicester City was then called off due to an outbreak in the Foxes' camp.

Antonio Conte's side returned to action on Sunday with a 2-2 draw against Liverpool.

With a new date unable to be set for their European encounter, UEFA ruled that Spurs had forfeited the game and the North London side are now out of the competition, having needed a win to progress.

A record of two wins, one draw and two defeats from their opening five games had left Spurs third, three points behind Vitesse Arnhem and four off group leaders Rennes.

With Spurs' European campaign coming to a premature end, Conte can now turn full focus to the league campaign and pursuit of qualification for a continental competition next season.

Spurs sit seventh on 26 points, but have only played 15 games so far, while each of the league's current top four have played 18 fixtures.

West Ham, fifth, and Manchester United, sixth, have also played more games than Conte's side, with 17 and 16, respectively.

Kieran Trippier has long been linked with a move back to England.

The 31-year-old full back has plied his trade in Spain for the past two-and-a-half years.

Trippier spent time with Manchester City, Burnley and Tottenham before joining Atletico Madrid, but seems set for a Premier League return next month.

 

TOP STORY – ATLETICO TO PERMIT TRIPPIER MOVE

Atleti are set to allow England international Trippier to join Newcastle United in January according to the Daily Mail.

The report claims that Atleti are hoping for £15million (€18m) from cashed-up Newcastle, who need reinforcements in their bid to avoid relegation.

Atleti will let the deal progress if they can find a suitable replacement for the defender during January.

ROUND-UP

- Tuttosport claims Juventus will switch their attention to signing an attacking player in January to boost their Champions League qualification hopes, with Manchester United pair Edinson Cavani and Anthony Martial, Paris Saint-Germain's Mauro Icardi and Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in their sights.

- AS reports that Eden Hazard does not want to leave Real Madrid in the January transfer window, despite struggling for impact with Los Blancos.

Chelsea are set to make a move for Wolverhampton's Ruben Neves according to TodoFichajes. Thomas Tuchel wants to reinforce the midfield with Saul Niguez having underwhelmed since joining in August.

Real Madrid are plotting a move to sign Internazionale's Netherlands international Denzel Dumfries reports Defensa Central.

- Veteran Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho is set to extend his stay with Manchester City, scuppering interest from Atletico Mineiro, reports Sport Witness.

Antonio Conte was impressed with Dele Alli's performance against Liverpool as the Tottenham head coach continues to develop an understanding of which players he can count on.

Spurs had not played since December 5 against Norwich City, missing three games due to a COVID-19 outbreak at the club but recorded a valiant 2-2 draw with Jurgen Klopp's side on Sunday.

Harry Kane opened the scoring with just his second Premier League goal of the campaign and his first at home in the competition since May, though strikes from Diogo Jota and Andy Robertson – who was later sent-off – put Liverpool into the ascendancy.

Son Heung-min then salvaged a deserved point for Spurs after an Alisson blunder, but Conte's side could have scored four or five, with the Liverpool goalkeeper's best save coming against Alli in the first half.

Indeed, Alli was making just his seventh league start of 2021-22 and managed 81 minutes before his removal, enjoying three touches in the opposition box – which he has only bettered twice this term against Watford and Wolves.

The England international also created one chance, the first opportunity he has provided in nine league outings this term, in what Conte found to be an encouraging showing from the midfielder.

Conte told Sky Sports: "He played a good game. With this formation with three midfielders, he can play as a midfielder and I think he's strong physically, he's good technically, good penetration. 

"If he was a bit [more] effective he could score but the performance was good. It's important to understand about the players I can count [on] now and for the future, also to find the right solution for a formation. 

"Previously we played 3-4-2-1, today we played 3-5-2. To have two possibilities is good for me, good for the team and it gives the possibility to many players to be involved."

Tottenham are yet to lose in the Premier League under Conte, winning three and sharing the points in the other two, as the former Inter head coach appears to have had an positive impact on his side.

Spurs dominated for large parts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against Liverpool and Conte acknowledged it was somewhat frustrating to leave with just a point.

"I think it was an exciting game and we created many chances to score and win the game," he added. "We have to be a bit disappointed for the draw. For sure we played against a really strong team.

"For the chances we created, we go home with the thought instead of one point it could be three points.

"We prepared a plan. It's not simple to defend against them. When we're in possession I said we could create problems for Liverpool. This happened today. The supporters have seen a good, exciting game.

"I don't want to speak about the decision of the referee [on Kane's challenge on Robertson]. I think the game was good for both teams. Harry played a good game. He scored a goal of vital importance. He had chances to score other goals. He's an important player for us."

Jurgen Klopp said it will be impossible for Liverpool to complete their entire festive programme after the "proper punch" that coronavirus has given professional football.

Thiago Alcantara missed Liverpool's 2-2 Premier League draw with Tottenham on Sunday due to a suspected positive coronavirus test result, as Klopp was left without a raft of key players.

Fabinho, Curtis Jones and Virgil van Dijk were also sidelined after returning suspected positive results ahead of the midweek win over Newcastle United, and captain Jordan Henderson was another absentee due to illness at Tottenham, though he has tested negative for COVID-19.

Tyler Morton was handed a first Premier League start in midfield for the Spurs game, and he featured alongside James Milner and Naby Keita.

Liverpool's game was one of only four Premier League fixtures allowed to go ahead this weekend, with the other six matches postponed due to coronavirus cases among teams involved.

Indeed, Spurs were back in action for the first time since beating Norwich City on December 5, after a COVID-19 outbreak in their camp.

Liverpool face an EFL Cup quarter-final against Leicester City on Wednesday, before Premier League clashes against Leeds United and the Foxes on December 26 and 28 respectively.

Klopp, though, wants the authorities to intervene and consider postponing – or even cancelling – some games.

"We play now on Wednesday, Sunday and Tuesday," he told Sky Sports. "That is impossible. We do not have the players.

"We could maybe have another case or two. We have to think about it, we cannot just push it all through.

"First of all, take away the second leg of the EFL Cup semi-final. Just play once; wherever you play it, I don't care.

"December 26 and 28 is really not possible. We might wake up tomorrow morning and might not be able to play anyway [due to more cases]. We would prefer to play, but we need some help. If we carry on, we cannot carry on as normal."

A meeting is due to take place on Monday involving Premier League clubs, as the situation intensifies and virus cases continue to emerge.

"The big thing we all have to talk about is: can we carry on? Do we carry on as usual? We need to have help from the schedule," Klopp said.

"If we don't play any more and have a break I am fine. But I know the problem. When do you want to play the games? It is not that easy to fit them in.

"We said before coronavirus that it was a bit busy, but people could not get enough football. Now it gives us a proper punch and tells you that you cannot carry on like this, and we have to consider what we do."

Jurgen Klopp railed at Paul Tierney after accusing the referee of blundering by failing to send off Harry Kane and snubbing Diogo Jota's penalty appeal in Liverpool's dramatic draw at Tottenham.

The Liverpool manager said the game needed "an objective ref" – a comment that could land him in trouble – and questioned if there was anything personal to read into Tierney's decisions.

"I have really no idea what his problem is with me," said Klopp, who spoke to the referee at half-time and full-time.

Former Borussia Dortmund boss Klopp was convinced Kane should have been ordered off for a first-half lunge on Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson, who was himself dismissed late in the game for fouling Emerson Royal, as the game finished in a 2-2 draw.

And Klopp was dismayed when Tierney refused to award Liverpool a spot-kick after Jota went over as Emerson and Davinson Sanchez slid in.

Addressing the incidents that left him frustrated during the game, and booked for his behaviour on the touchline, Klopp told Sky Sports: "Some of these questions, it is probably best to ask Mr Tierney what he thinks."

Asked whether the wild challenge by Kane, which earned the Tottenham striker a yellow card, should have resulted in a heavier punishment, Klopp said: "Definitely.

"We can give Robbo a red card... that's not the smartest challenge of his life, that's how it is, but that's definitely a red card [for Kane], no doubt about that.

"People will say his leg was in the air, but that's pure coincidence. Harry cannot judge that and if Robbo's leg is on the ground then it's a broken leg.

 "We have VAR sitting there and he looks again at the Robertson situation, fine, that's what he's there for. What did he do in that [Kane] situation?

"And the penalty situation with Diogo Jota, Mr Tierney told me he thinks Diogo stops on purpose because he wants the foul.

"First and foremost, if you want to shoot you have to stop because you cannot run and shoot in the same moment. It would always be helpful if you play football yourself in the past.

"When you see the situation back and the VAR's there, where is he stopping? You have two challenges against one player and the player's down. I don't understand that."

Reflecting on a pulsating game, Klopp added: "The draw is okay, we are not that crazy that we think we cannot draw at Tottenham, that's fine, but these situations are crucial; they are decisive situations.

"I have really no idea what his problem is with me. Honestly, I have no idea."

Klopp was without his first-choice three-man midfield due to COVID-19 and illness, along with powerhouse defender Virgil van Dijk, meaning Liverpool were majorly depleted for the clash in north London.

"You cannot expect us to play our best football game of the season. You have to fight through it and that's what the boys did and I'm really happy with that," Klopp said.

"Just we need an objective ref who sees the situation and judges them and not, like, opinions. He told me he thinks [Jota] stops on purpose. He had the best spot on the pitch, he was eight yards away and doesn't give it to him.

"I said, 'Boys, how is that? You have to ask him: what's his problem with me?'."

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