A weekend of dramatic late equalisers saw Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham all drop crucial points through draws, handing Arsenal a six-point advantage at the top of the Premier League as Pep Guardiola battles injuries, Arne Slot questions his substitutions, Ruben Amorim challenges United’s hierarchy, and Thomas Frank struggles to win over Spurs fans in Week 20.
by El Rami
In football, sometimes the best weekends are those when you don’t have to do anything at all. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta could afford a satisfied smile as the final whistle blew on Sunday evening’s fixtures—not because his team had played brilliantly, but because virtually every one of his title rivals had conspired to hand the Gunners an unexpected gift.
Manchester City. Liverpool. Manchester United. Tottenham Hotspur. Four of the Premier League’s most storied clubs, all held to draws over a weekend that could prove pivotal come May. And while Arsenal edged past Bournemouth on Saturday to maintain their position at the summit, their six-point cushion over second-placed City suddenly feels considerably more comfortable.
But this wasn’t just a story about dropped points—it was a tale of four managers facing vastly different crises, each draw revealing deeper issues that simple results cannot capture.
Pep Guardiola: When Perfection Isn’t Enough
Chelsea’s stoppage-time equaliser against Manchester City on a freezing Sunday evening at Etihad Stadium felt like a monumental moment in the Premier League title race. With time ticking away, Pep Guardiola’s side were edging towards a ninth consecutive top-flight home victory, maintaining pressure on Arsenal at the summit.
But City wilted late, conceding to Enzo Fernandez’s 94th-minute leveller that left travelling fans delirious and home supporters stunned. It means Arsenal have been handed a major boost, moving six points clear of both City and Aston Villa after making a statement by thumping Unai Emery’s side midweek and edging past Bournemouth on Saturday.
“I don’t have a crystal ball to look at what will happen in the future,” said Guardiola when asked about the title race. “The only thing I think [about] is recovering the players for Brighton on Wednesday. Of course we were closer. We played an incredible second half at Sunderland and today we didn’t get luck but we scored a goal. Being clinical is part of all the stats. You can create chances, our expected goals is higher than everyone, but you have to do it.”
The mood inside the Etihad at full-time felt deflated rather than elated, as City failed to win successive games for only the second time this season. Former City goalkeeper Shay Given captured the significance perfectly: “It’s a brilliant result for Chelsea, with no manager. And it is a brilliant result and week for Arsenal, who are now six points clear. City dropping four points in the last two games is huge at this time of the season. We always say Christmas and new year, with such a busy schedule, is so important and it’s not been a great festive period for Manchester City.”
Erling Haaland’s drought—now three games without a goal after scoring 38 times earlier this season—has proved pivotal. The Norwegian was shackled by Chelsea’s backline, striking the post but finding little joy overall. Ex-City defender Micah Richards summed it up: “Manchester City will be kicking themselves. They know they should’ve had three points today with the chances they created. They are normally more ruthless. You are looking at it thinking, ‘what has changed?’ Haaland’s not scored in a few games, Phil Foden had near misses, Rayan Cherki looking very tricky but not the final product. They’ve only got themselves to blame today.”
Adding to Guardiola’s woes, injuries are mounting ominously. The Spaniard admitted they now “have a lot” of players unavailable, with first-choice centre-backs Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol both potentially sidelined “for a few weeks.” “John Stones is missing for I don’t know how many months, now Ruben and Josko will be out. Nathan [Ake] cannot play regularly as we know. It happened last season and we will find a solution. The spirit will be there,” Guardiola said, his words carrying more hope than conviction.
Arne Slot: The Substitution That Backfired
Liverpool’s draw at Craven Cottage was perhaps the most painful of the weekend’s stalemates because victory had seemed secured. Cody Gakpo struck deep into stoppage time to make it 2-1, only for Harrison Reed to produce a stunning long-range equalizer three minutes later that left Slot second-guessing his tactical decisions.
“It was an incredible shot,” Slot admitted to BBC’s Match of the Day. “When it was 1-1, we made an offensive change with [Federico] Chiesa to try to win the game, and then we were 2-1 up, having to defend a long throw-in. We brought Gomez in because he is very good in the air, but they didn’t take it long. They took it short, and it was an incredible strike. It is not for the first time this season that we have conceded in the final seconds of the game.”
The Dutchman had brought on Joe Gomez to replace Gakpo, expecting an aerial bombardment from Fulham that never materialized. Instead, Reed caught him by surprise with a thunderbolt that extended Liverpool’s unbeaten run to nine games while simultaneously denying them crucial points in the top-four race.
“So many points have disappeared for us. Of course, it is frustrating,” Slot said, his frustration evident as both Chelsea and Manchester United also dropped points on the same day, squandering Liverpool’s opportunity to capitalize.
Slot also addressed concerns about Liverpool’s attacking output, insisting his philosophy hasn’t changed despite their struggles in front of goal. “I can tell you this. My philosophy of football hasn’t changed this year compared to all the seasons I was a manager before. But we have to do it with the players that are available. I think today 11 very good football players were on the pitch. Maybe not all of them in their normal position.”
Ruben Amorim: The Manager Fighting for Control
While City and Liverpool’s draws were tactical disappointments, Manchester United’s 1-1 stalemate at Leeds revealed something far more troubling—a power struggle between manager and hierarchy that threatens to undermine the entire project.
After hinting on Friday at behind-the-scenes issues, Amorim waited until the final question of his post-match media conference to make a significant intervention, repeatedly stating he was ready to move on when his contract expires in 18 months.
“I just want to say I came here to be the manager, not to be the coach,” Amorim declared. “In every department – the scouting department, the sporting director – [they] need to do their job. I will do mine for 18 months and then we move on. I just want to say that I’m going to be the manager of this team, not just the coach. I was really clear on that. That is going to finish in 18 months and then everyone is going to move on. That was the deal. That is my job. Not to be a coach.”
Amorim’s comments suggest unwanted interference from United’s hierarchy that would not be tolerated elsewhere. He invoked the names of high-profile former Premier League bosses to make his point: “I know that my name is not [Thomas] Tuchel, it’s not [Antonio] Conte, it’s not [Jose] Mourinho, but I’m the manager of Manchester United. And it’s going to be like this for 18 months or when the board decides to change. I’m not going to quit. I will do my job until another guy is coming here to replace me.”
The Portuguese also suggested United have become too sensitive to outside criticism, saying: “If people cannot handle the Gary Nevilles and the criticisms of everything, we need to change the club.” Gary Neville had previously described United’s home draw with bottom-of-the-table Wolves as “the baddest of the bad.”
Recent reports claimed Christopher Vivell, United’s head of recruitment, called on Amorim to adapt his three-man defensive system, while hints at growing tensions with director of football Jason Wilcox have strengthened. With one win in five games and three in 11, Amorim’s tenure is becoming increasingly strained despite his belief United are moving in the right direction.
On-field issues compound the political drama. Striker Ben Sesko has scored only two goals in 16 appearances and wasted United’s best chance for a winner at Leeds, sending Joshua Zirkzee’s cross wide from six yards. It’s now nine games since Sesko found the net, raising questions about the decision to bring him in as Rasmus Hojlund’s replacement.
Thomas Frank: Trapped in a Gilded Cage
If Amorim faces political challenges, Thomas Frank confronts something equally daunting at Tottenham—fan apathy bordering on hostility. The magnificent Tottenham Hotspur Stadium resounded to loud boos at the end of Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Sunderland, a soundtrack of deep discontent that has become all too familiar.
Spurs were functional rather than thrilling, taking a first-half lead through Ben Davies’ eighth goal in 244 Premier League appearances before inevitably conceding an 80th-minute thunderbolt from Brian Brobbey. The Black Cats punished Spurs for retreating in the second half, detecting growing anxiety and exploiting it ruthlessly.
The result reflected Frank’s ongoing struggle to provide style or substance. Spurs have now played 10 league games at home this season, winning only two, losing five, and drawing three—an embarrassing record that leaves Frank unable to forge any bond with supporters who have simply decided they’re “not having him.”
“First and foremost throughout the game the fans were very good and backing us and that is all we are asking for,” Frank told BBC Match of the Day, putting the best spin on things. “I am sure the fans will acknowledge the first half – and the players tried throughout the game, but sometimes it doesn’t go your way.”
But the statistics tell a damning story. Frank has been unable to provide consistency, identity, excitement, or wins. Spurs have drawn six of their 20 Premier League matches this season—as many stalemates as in the final 53 league games under Ange Postecoglou. After 20 games last season under Postecoglou, Spurs were 12th with 24 points. This season under Frank they’re 13th with 27 points—barely any improvement.
Frank acknowledged the challenges while defending his approach: “There were a lot of positives in the performance. The first half was much more like we want to do. I liked our intensity with and without the ball. We created a lot of good situations, but we lacked the decisiveness to finish the game off. When you are working very hard, sometimes you get into that momentum where everything clicks and goes your way. Sometimes you have to work very, very hard to get the margins on your side.”
Disappointment, worryingly for Frank, is becoming the byword for Spurs and his tenure.
Arsenal’s Silent Victory
While Guardiola managed injuries, Slot second-guessed substitutions, Amorim fought political battles, and Frank struggled for relevance, Arsenal quietly extended their advantage. Six points clear with a game in hand—suddenly Arteta’s Gunners look like genuine title favorites rather than hopeful challengers.
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville captured the significance of City’s late equalizer perfectly: “Pep Guardiola could smell it. The City fans could smell it. I don’t think Chelsea could though. City needed to make it 2-0. It was a big goal for Chelsea – and a big goal for Arsenal.”
Sometimes in football, the best weekends are those when your rivals do your work for you. Week 20 of the Premier League season will be remembered not for what Arsenal did, but for what everyone else failed to do—win matches they should have won, hold leads they should have protected, and maintain pressure they should have sustained.
As Guardiola faces a mounting injury crisis, Slot questions his tactical choices, Amorim battles for managerial autonomy, and Frank struggles to win over skeptical fans, Arsenal march on. The contrasting fortunes of five managers in a single weekend may well have defined where the Premier League trophy ends up come May—and right now, it’s pointing firmly toward north London.