Forget the Christmas leftovers. The Premier League served up the real feast this Boxing Day weekend, and the table is already shifting in ways that matter.
Amorim finally figures it out
Here's what nobody wants to admit: Ruben Amorim's stubborn commitment to a back three was hurting Manchester United. Then Friday happened.
Patrick Dorgu's 24th-minute volley wasn't just a goal—it was validation. The 21-year-old Dane, playing as a makeshift right winger in a formation switch that caught everyone off guard, struck his first United goal with the confidence of someone who belongs.
Amorim switched to a back four for the first time since taking charge. No prior warning. No media hints. Just a manager finally acknowledging that sometimes you need to adapt rather than force a system onto players who don't suit it.
"We had to suffer all together in the stadium," Amorim said post-match. "Clean sheet, back four, so I don't need a press conference. All the subjects are covered."
That's the kind of self-aware humor that suggests Amorim might actually be learning. United won without Bruno Fernandes for the first time since Ralf Rangnick was in charge. Let that sink in.
The real headline: Villa are legitimate
While everyone obsesses over Manchester City's resurgence and Arsenal's consistency, Aston Villa have quietly assembled something special. Ten consecutive wins across all competitions. Seven straight in the league. Third place, three points off the top.
This isn't a fluke. Unai Emery has built a machine that doesn't care about reputation or history. Morgan Rogers has seven Premier League goals and looks like England's most complete attacking midfielder not named Cole Palmer.
Chelsea, sitting seven points behind Villa in fourth, need Palmer to produce something extraordinary at Stamford Bridge today. Otherwise, the gap becomes a chasm.
Liverpool's emotional minefield
The Liverpool-Wolves fixture carries weight beyond three points. Both clubs will pay tribute to Diogo Jota today, with his two sons serving as matchday mascots at Anfield. It's going to be heavy.
On the pitch, Arne Slot faces a depleted squad. Mo Salah's at AFCON. Alexander Isak's broken leg—courtesy of a challenge that should have Micky van de Ven asking some hard questions—will sideline Liverpool's record signing for months. Hugo Ekitike leads the line against rock-bottom Wolves, who have two points from seventeen games.
Liverpool should win comfortably. But emotion and expectation are dangerous combinations.
City's machine rolls on
Manchester City visit Nottingham Forest having won seven straight across all competitions. Eighteen goals in December. Four clean sheets in five matches. The carousel that had everyone writing City's obituary earlier this season looks like ancient history now.
Forest, meanwhile, sit just above the relegation zone and got outclassed by Fulham last time out. Chris Wood's still injured. Sean Dyche's pragmatism can only paper over so many cracks.
If City win at the City Ground, they go top before Arsenal play Brighton. That psychological advantage matters in title races—especially when the Gunners are dealing with their own injury headaches.
Today's fixtures
12:30 UTC: Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City
15:00 UTC: Arsenal vs Brighton, Brentford vs Bournemouth, Burnley vs Everton, Liverpool vs Wolves, West Ham vs Fulham
17:30 UTC: Chelsea vs Aston Villa
What actually matters
The title race is a three-way battle between Arsenal, City, and—yes—Aston Villa. Chelsea are pretenders until proven otherwise. Liverpool's injuries have exposed depth issues that spending £100m on a striker couldn't solve.
At the bottom, Wolves look doomed. Forest need points desperately. And somewhere in Manchester, Ruben Amorim is probably wondering why he didn't try a back four six weeks ago.
The festive period separates contenders from pretenders. Today we find out which is which.
