It’s been a gruelling festive period for most Premier League teams, and whilst those of us Down Under have had the fortune of beers, beaches and beautiful weather, the best in the business have slogged it out in cold, wet conditions on a frighteningly regular basis over the last three weeks.

Premier League Demands Too High?

This is as good a place to start as any, even if it has been covered to death in recent years. While in Spain and Germany, players are privy to a break from the rigours of regular league football over the festive period to recover and spend time with their family, those playing in England are made to play league matches regularly over this festive period, with increased regularity, and it’s taking it’s toll on the squads.

According to PhysioRoom.com’s Premier League injury table, there are currently 104 players listed as injured, and that is a list which has not been updated to account for the most recent round of games. That is a massive amount of players, even across twenty teams, by anyone’s standards and suggests that the physical demands on these players is perhaps too much. Yes, they get paid more than handsomely for their troubles, but they are still human beings who sweat and bleed like the rest of us.

Is a complete break necessary? I would suggest it isn’t, but I struggle to understand why the frequency of games should increase.

Factor in the inconsistencies in time between games for different teams, and it seems even more unfair. Blackburn Rovers were expected to play on the 2nd of January after a physically taxing effort at Old Trafford on New Years Eve, whilst Manchester United were granted an extra day off (though to little avail).

It is obvious that the festive period of fixturing really does need to be worked on in coming Premier League seasons. Perhaps a sensible step would be to involve the PFA in the proceedings, as suggested by Roberto Mancini and Kenneth Dalglish.

United bruised and battered, City flying high, Tottenham lurking

Or so it would seem. Two losses on the trot for United, including a 3-2 loss at home to last placed Blackburn Rovers on New Years Eve, and it all seems to be crumbling down at Old Trafford. The fact is though, United remain only three points off pace setters Manchester City, and with almost everyone ruling them out of contention, Sir Alex will be happy that his charges have managed to accomplish the goal set of them, despite the two bitter disappointments of the last two games, and that is to remain within striking distance come the New Year.

Unfortunately for United, chasing Manchester City is easier said than done. City’s own slip up against Sunderland was met with a raucous response, in a devastatingly efficient 3-0 dismissal of a spirited Liverpool side. Compare that with United’s dismal performance on the Tyneside, and therein lies the difference between the two sides at the moment. City suffered a blip, United are suffering from being consistently inconsistent, and unless that changes, this year’s Premier League title is only headed in one direction.

The FA Cup throws up a nice preview of the league derby to come later in the season, and it may be crucial in providing a mental edge for the team that takes the spoils. For United, it represents a chance to unnerve Manchester City and strengthen their own resolve, whilst City could make another strong statement about their own quality and show United just how much they need to improve to beat them to the title this season.

Tottenham though present a real wildcard. Only three points behind United with a game in hand, they represent a side that can take points off both the front runners whilst also remaining in contention themselves. Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool all seem too far behind to have a real tilt at the title in the second half of the season, but they could prove the difference makers in what is looking like a three horse race. If Tottenham harbour serious ambitions of title glory, navigating these tricky matches will be crucial.

How Does Martin O’Neil Do It?

Craig Foster tweeted this week that Martin O’Neil has an extraordinary habit of overachieving with otherwise limited squads. Despite being crippled by 11 injuries to senior players, Martin O’Neil has already guided Sunderland to more Premier League points than Steve Bruce had done before getting sacked this season.

The true test remains in the long term, but O’Neil is again proving himself to be one of the best managers in the business. Fantastic results against Manchester City and then Wigan have propelled Sunderland well clear of any relegation danger and into a nice, comfortable mid-table position. Europe is almost certainly unattainable this season, but O’Neil will be more than pleased with the reaction he has gotten from his players thus far.

What will be interesting at Sunderland is whether or not O’Neil will be given any funds after Bruce’s spending spree in the summer. O’Neil is successfully projecting his own philosophy onto this team without bringing any of his own players in, so the board may deem it unnecessary, though given his track record, there is little doubting that O’Neil will have plans for the winter transfer window. Will he be allowed to act now? Or will he have to wait until the summer?