Premier League Returns After 43-day Break

Posted by Samson Kankan Latest Headlines, Sports News Monday, December 26th, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The English Premier League is back after the break due to the world cup held in Qatar.

Arsenal are top, in case you forgot. Five points clear of Manchester City. And, no, they haven’t been smoking anything at the Emirates. Mikel Arteta’s team were outstanding for three months but the World Cup came with nightmarish consequences.

Gabriel Jesus, reported back from Qatar with damaged knee ligament and his out for weeks

Arsenal will miss him, just as Totteham will miss Richaldlison. Harry Maguire has confidence tanks refueled. Erling Haaland and Mo Salah have been resting and building fitness.

Arsenal dropped only five points in their first 14 games and they returned to a testing sequence, away at Brighton and Tottenham in between home fixtures against West Ham, on Boxing Day.

Manchester city title defense will continue against Leeds on Wednesday, by which time Newcastle will have moved past them into second if they can beat much-improved Leicester.

New Southampton boss Nathan Jones will take charge of his second Premier League game as Brighton visit St Mary’s, and Julen Lopetegui will savour his first on Boxing Day as rock-bottom Wolves go to Everton.

Gary O’Neil, named as Bournemouth’s permanent boss while attention was on Qatar, takes his team to out-of-form Chelsea, who are trying to escape a run of no wins in five league games.

While Nottingham Forest go to Old Trafford, on Tuesday for a first meeting with Manchester United since 1999 when they were thrashed 8-1 and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored four in the last 10 minutes.