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City caracole

With their 14th success of the season, the 8th in a row, City are guaranteed to be leaders in the Premier League at Christmas, with 44 points, three more than Liverpool and six more than Chelsea, (3rd).

Widely favorite, the Citizens received a boost from the Magpies after less than 5 minutes of play, a disagreement between goalkeeper Martin Dubravka and his defender Ciaran Clarke, offering the opener to Ruben Dias (0-1) .

Portuguese Manchester City defender Ruben Diaz opens the scoring against Newcastle on Matchday 18 of the Premier League on December 19, 2021 at St James Park Oli SCARFF AFP

Non-existent against Citizens who have yet played "one of the worst periods of the season" according to Pep Guardiola, Newcastle passively let Joao Cancelo advance in the axis and strike right at the top (0-2, 27th).

After atomizing Leeds (7-0) on Tuesday, Manchester City did not force, even if Riyad Mahrez, with a flat-footed volley in the middle of the race (0-3, 63rd), then Raheem Sterling (0- 4, 86e) hit the nail on the head.

An easy victory for Guardiola's men, victim of a false positive Covid-19 test during the week, but who are otherwise spared by the virus when only four matches of the 18th day, only, were played this weekend.

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Liverpool stumble on Spurs

Weakened by absences for Covid, while Tottenham has recovered almost all of its affected players, Liverpool come back with a point from a very eventful match at fighting Spurs.

The Londoners had not played for two weeks, the time to see the wave of Covid cases that hit its workforce and its staff ebb, while the Reds are grappling with the virus and deprived of Virgil van Dijk, Curtis Jones , Fabinho, Thiago Alcantara and Jordan Henderson even if the latter seems to have only a cold.

These absences and the difference in freshness between the two teams no doubt explain the complicated start to the match for Liverpool, jostled as rarely by Spurs.

A domination materialized by a cross strike from Harry Kane well launched by Tanguy Ndombélé (1-0, 13th) but tarnished by the huge missed opportunities, such as the face-to-face of Dele Alli in front of Alisson (30th).

Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli misses the target against Brazilian Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker on Matchday 18 of the Premier League on December 19, 2021 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium JUSTIN TALLIS AFP

To miss such opportunities is often crippling against the Reds who could have taken the three points, Diogo Jota having equalized (1-1, 35th) and Andrew Robertson giving the advantage, both of the head (1-2, 69th) .

The Portuguese striker of Liverpool, Diogo Jota, equalizes (1-1) against Tottenham, during the 18th day of the Premier League, on December 19, 2021 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium JUSTIN TALLIS AFP

But Antonio Conte's Tottenham has good moral resources and, well helped by a big blunder from Alisson, if not excellent, Son Heung-min gave Spurs a deserved point (2-2, 74th).

Tottenham's South Korean striker Son Heung-Min is congratulated by striker Harry Kane after equalizing (2-2) against Liverpool on Matchday 18 of the Premier League on December 19, 2021 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium JUSTIN TALLIS AFP

With 3 games less and only 6 points behind in qualifying places for the Champions League, Tottenham can watch their next matches - against Crystal Palace, Southampton and Watford - with gusto.

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Chelsea sticks out her tongue

Barely since the end of November, Chelsea conceded a draw at Wolverhampton, in a match played reluctantly after a postponement refused by the Premier League.

Deprived in particular of Romelu Lukaku, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Timo Werner, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Kaï Havertz and Jorginho, the Blues had only six replacements instead of seven on the bench, including two goalkeepers.

"We really can not" understand the decisions of the Premier League, complained coach Thomas Tuchel before the match, after 10 league games have already been postponed for health reasons.

French Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kanté grapples with Moroccan Wolverhampton counterpart Romain Saiss on Matchday 18 of the Premier League on December 19, 2021 at Molineux Stadium Lindsey Parnaby AFP

"We are disappointed, a little angry, but that will not make us less competitive," he promised, while acknowledging that starting N'Golo Kanté, just back from injury, was "a big risk".

The game partially proved him wrong as his team struggled to create danger despite strong ball possession.

An evil already observed recently and which is explained as well by the absences as by the period of the season, where the very intense style advocated by the German weighs on the organizations.

Covid or not, Chelsea no longer seem able to compete with Manchester City and Liverpool and hope to find their second wind soon.

© 2021 AFP