AFTER losing a game against a direct rival, it is better sometimes to play away from home. It reduces pressure from the home crowd, allowing players to loosen up and approach the game differently.

THIS was a weekend of missed opportunities in the Premier League – especially for league leaders Arsenal.

WITH 21 games played and 17 to go, the Premier League takes a brief back seat this weekend as the FA Cup moves centrestage.

IF you are a serious title contender, you must build momentum from a good result and carry it all the way to the trophy ceremony.

WHEN in a title race, you will do whatever it takes to stay in it. That was exactly what transpired during the Boxing Day fixtures for Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa.

OUT of 33 completed seasons, teams that lead the Premier League at Christmas have gone on to win the title 17 times – a 52% success rate.

AFTER a tumultuous week for Arne Slot, the noise died down slightly on Saturday as Liverpool returned to winning ways following two consecutive Premier League draws.

HOLD on to your horses, Premier League fans.

FIRE and thunder are the best way to describe the game at Stamford Bridge.

ROBERTO Di Matteo, Roberto Mancini, Carlo Ancelotti, Kenny Dalglish, Zinedine Zidane, and Jupp Heynckes are some of the managers who inherited strong squads and went on to win major titles.

ELEVEN games into the Premier League season, and the table already tells two stories. Some teams are delighted with how things are going, while others are wondering where it all went wrong.

SUNDERLAND have shown the Premier League the formula, and now it is up to the rest to replicate it when they face Arsenal.