On the evening of January 4th to the early hours of January 5th, Beijing time, the 20th round of the Premier League continued, with Tottenham, Manchester City, and Chelsea, three major clubs, taking the stage.
Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 Newcastle United
In the last 7 league matches, Tottenham has only managed one victory, which was against the bottom-placed Southampton. In their last 5 home league games, Tottenham conceded a staggering 15 goals, struggling to secure a single win.
Postecoglou's position as manager is once again under threat. Tottenham has fallen to the lower half of the table, ranking only 11th, just two points ahead of Manchester United.
Newcastle United, on the other hand, has been soaring thanks to the efficient performance of Isak. They have won all four of their recent league matches without conceding a single goal. The Magpies have quietly climbed to fifth place in the standings, surpassing Manchester City.
Unlike previous matches, Son Heung-min was placed on the bench. Just four minutes into the game, Brennan Johnson played the ball back to Porro on the right flank, who then crossed it directly. Solanke headed the ball powerfully into the net, giving Tottenham a dream start.
However, before the Tottenham fans could even celebrate, Newcastle equalized the score. This goal was highly controversial as Beriwahl's pass from the back hit Joelinton's hand, causing a deflection. Following this, Guimaraes provided an assist, and Gordon scored, with the referee ruling the goal valid.
In the 38th minute, Tonali passed the ball to the right flank, where Murphy made a low cross. Dragusin got a touch on it, and Isak took advantage of the empty net to score, completing the comeback for Newcastle.
Ultimately, Newcastle defeated Tottenham 2-1 away from home. Tottenham has only won one match in their last eight league outings, remaining in the lower half of the table.
Manchester City 4-1 West Ham United
Last round, Guardiola's side secured a crucial 2-0 victory away at newly promoted Leicester City, which felt like a long-awaited rain after a drought. This was their second win in the last ten league matches and their second victory in the last fourteen matches across all competitions.
With this win, Manchester City temporarily sits in sixth place in the standings. To advance to the Champions League zone, they need to return to their early-season form.
West Ham suffered a heavy blow in their previous match, losing 0-5 to Liverpool. Their 13th place in the standings does not align with their significant investment during the summer transfer window.
In the 10th minute, Savic, who had just scored his first goal for Manchester City in the previous match, crossed from the flank. The ball was inadvertently diverted into his own net by Cao Far, giving Manchester City an unexpected lead.
In the 38th minute, Foden made a long pass, and Savic made an impressive dribble before crossing. Haaland, unmarked at the far post, headed the ball powerfully into the net.
In the 55th minute, Savic received the ball with no defenders around him. He drove forward and provided his second assist of the match, allowing Haaland to skillfully round the goalkeeper and score his second goal.
It is worth noting that Savic has scored one goal, created one own goal, and provided three assists in his last two matches, showcasing his talent.
In the 58th minute, West Ham's defense collapsed completely. Kudus' backpass gifted the ball to De Bruyne, who calmly assisted Foden to add to the scoreline.
In the 71st minute, Manchester City's defense left a gap, and Pflug scored in the middle of the field with no one marking him, pulling one back for West Ham.
In the end, Manchester City won 4-1 away against West Ham United. This was also their third victory in the last fifteen matches across all competitions. With two consecutive wins, Manchester City remains in sixth place, gradually closing the gap with the teams ahead of them.
Crystal Palace 1-1 Chelsea
After a promising start and an eight-match winning streak across all competitions, the Blues suddenly fell into a slump. They lost away to Ipswich and at home to Fulham, suffering two consecutive defeats and three winless matches in the league.
With only one point from the last three rounds, Chelsea has slipped from second to fourth place in the standings, with their pursuers not far behind.
Crystal Palace has rebounded quickly in their last eight league matches, recording three wins, four draws, and one loss, leading the relegation zone by five points. It is noteworthy that Crystal Palace suffered a heavy defeat in their previous London derby against Arsenal.
In the 14th minute, Enzo made an impressive move without touching the ball. Facing Crystal Palace's defense, Enzo's precise pass was effortless, and Palmer's delicate shot found the back of the net without much force.
In the first half, Chelsea led by one goal. In the second half, both teams had several chances but failed to capitalize on them. In the 81st minute, Crystal Palace intercepted the ball and immediately counterattacked. Ayew assisted Mateta to equalize the score.
In the end, Chelsea suffered a surprising draw in this London derby, ending 1-1 with Crystal Palace. In the last four league matches, Chelsea has only managed two draws and two losses, accumulating only two points and falling further behind, remaining in fourth place. Chelsea is now nine points behind Liverpool, who have played two fewer matches, making their title hopes increasingly slim.