EPL Matchweek 18: 5 things we learned

Matchweek 18 of EPL action had everything. Shock results, multiple goal thrillers, a red card and scintillating start to a new era. The title race is well and truly on.

Heading into Christmas, Jurgen Klopp's' Liverpool tops the 2018/19 Premier League table with 48 points, four more than Pep Guardiola's Manchester City. Fulham, Huddersfield, and Burney occupy the bottom three spots.

Here's a look at the five things we learned from this weekend's Premier League fixtures.

#1 Golden boot race is heating up

Mohammed Salah, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, Harry Kane, Eden Hazard, Raheem Sterling, and Sergio Aguero have all been top or joint top scorer at one point or another this season.

Pierre Emerick Aubameyang overtook Salah after a brace against Burnley on Saturday. However, Salah and Kane are only one goal behind the Arsenal man. Hazard, Aguero, and Sterling are only two or three goals behind and cannot be written off in the race for the golden boot.

The title race may just be a two horse race but we are in for one of the most keenly contested golden boot race in recent memory.

#2 Chelsea need to buy a top striker now

With the PL full of amazing striking talent, it is a wonder that one of it's biggest clubs is in dire need of a clinical striker. Alvaro Morata came to Chelsea with so much expectation on him to replace Diego Costa.

Things started off well for him as he formed a partnership with Azpilicueta and exploded onto the goal scoring scene. Injuries and a lack of form have hampered his adaptation to the league and has seen him fall down the pecking order at Chelsea.

Olivier Giroud was acquired in January to help with the goalscoring burden. Giroud is a great striker with hold up play and aerial prowess that few in England can match. However, he is not a prolific striker and will not get a team 25 or more goals that elite strikers are tasked to deliver.

Chelsea's loss to Leicester city highlights their desperate need for a striker. They have scored the least number of goals in the top six this season. Hazard is a great player but he is not a striker and has never been a prolific scorer for a full season.

The January window becomes even more important if Chelsea must keep pace with Tottenham and end the season in the top four.

#3 Manchester City are not as invincible as we thought

15 games into the season many fans and pundits were beginning to entertain the idea that Manchester City could go the season unbeaten. They were the pacesetters in the league and Liverpool were clinging to them by the skin of their teeth.

A few weeks later, Liverpool are now four points ahead of Manchester City and some football fans have started revising their prediction of City winning the league.

It is too early to say that City will or will not win the league but if the game against Palace taught anything, it is that City are vulnerable. Lyon showed glimpses of this fact in their two games against City in the Champions League.

Fernandinho may be the most unheralded but he is City's most important player. His absence in the Palace game was thoroughly exploited. An injury or suspension for the Brazilian enforcer spells a problem for the Citizens.

#4 United's new era has begun in style

To say that a club of United's stature had not scored 5 goals in a game in 5 years is ridiculous. Yet it happened. In fact, before the Cardiff game, United last scored 5 goals in a game in Sir Alex Ferguson's farewell game.

Much has been made of what Solksjaer will bring to United. If the Cardiff game was anything to go by, United fans are in for real excitement for the rest of the season.

'Brave' is the key word to describe the game against Cardiff. The United players showed bravery on the ball and off it. Even players who would ideally take a safe pass under different administrations were brave off to give it a go from distance.

The football was scintillating at times and fans who may have had doubts about Mourinho's sacking would have left the stadium with no doubts left in their hearts.

It is important to note that this game was played against Cardiff and sterner tests would surely come for the Red Devils. United fans wouldn't mind however if their players put in such performances. Results wouldn't matter as much. At least for this season.

#5 Ozil is a class act

The mercurial playmaker has been linked with Inter, Real Madrid, and the Chinese Super League just in the last week. His exclusion for the midweek North London derby and other games in recent weeks had sparked a lot of controversy and debate.

Some even believed it was the end of Ozil at Arsenal. Despite all this, Ozil in a way only he can make all his doubters eat their words. Not with a goal or a sublime piece of skill but with a pass that split an entire defense to shreds.

Burnley put in a decent performance and against many other sides in the division may have at least gotten a share of the spoils. The German playmaker proved the difference between both sides as his run and scuffed shot fell to Alex Iwobi who slammed it home and confirmed Arsenal's victory.

Ozil's inconsistency is an issue that Emery must learn how to deal with and manage. However, there is no doubt that Mesut Ozil is a class act.

Matchweek 17 gave many fans an early Xmas present. Fans of Chelsea, City and Everton would hope that the festive season has better surprises left for them.

Edited by Sujith M