Due to Manchester City's recent decline in results, coupled with their participation in the Club World Cup, they have temporarily stayed away from the league, so the two most notable teams in the Premier League have become Liverpool and Arsenal. In just a few rounds, Liverpool and Arsenal have exchanged the top flags of the Premier League several times. And the two teams met in the 18th round, which also gave enough drama - obviously, whoever wins this game will be the Premier League champion before Christmas.
As for the 1-1 result, although it is a pity for both teams, it is reasonable for neutral fans and the Premier League as a whole. After all, Arsenal and Liverpool are equal in strength and in similar shape, and neither has the ability to crush their opponents. Of course, Liverpool fans will definitely be more regretful, after all, playing at home, not being able to win against their opponents, and allowing their opponents to further consolidate their position at the top of the table. And to be honest, in this game, Arsenal seems to have more chances. However, after Christmas, the rivalry between these two teams may become the main theme of the Premier League this season, and their games will be much more than these 90 minutes.
In fact, although the Premier League in recent seasons looks fiercely competitive, the suspense is getting smaller and smaller at the end. Especially when Manchester City has won three consecutive titles, it seems that the Premier League is a bit anticlimactic in this regard. Therefore, everyone must also be eager to see a new team to disrupt the existing pattern of the Premier League. Manchester City's form has declined a bit this season, which has also made Arsenal and Liverpool recover their old powerhouses. But to be honest, what everyone wants to see more is Newcastle United, Brighton, and Tottenham, which have never won the Premier League title, to stand up and break the old circle. Even if you can't win the championship in the end, at least you can stand on the head of the city and shout a few words to tell the world that the Premier League is not just about those old faces.
Tottenham have done well this season and have been at the top of the table. But since three defeats in a row, they have suffered a lot of damage and have now fallen out of the Champions League places. And just when Tottenham's form was sluggish, another new force counterattacked, broke into the Champions League zone, and even ranked ahead of Manchester City. It can be said that in recent times, this team has become the most optimistic force for all neutral fans.
Aston Villa.
There is no need to dwell on the fact that Aston Villa won the Champions League in the 80s, the reason why they are called a new force is because in the Premier League era, they are indeed not a top team. And the momentum they have shown so far this season is really eye-catching. After beating Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester City in succession, Aston Villa even has a chance to climb to the top of the table.
And in the 18th round, they got such an opportunity.
In this round they hosted the underdogs Sheffield United, and it was a three points without suspense. Unfortunately, Aston Villa were able to win at home to Arsenal and Manchester City, but were held to a 1-1 draw by Sheffield United. Looking at this 1:1 alone, it may be just a small regret, but the problem is that when Liverpool and Arsenal drew 1:1 later, Aston Villa's small regret was suddenly infinitely magnified -
In other words, against the backdrop of Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Arsenal, if Aston Villa win against Sheffield United, they could be the interim champions of the Premier League before Christmas. Although leading at this time does not mean winning the championship at the end of the season, as a dark horse team, being able to reach the top of the table can at least bring a new atmosphere to the entire league. But sadly, this did not happen. This is not just a regret for Aston Villa, but also for the Premier League as a whole.
It could even be argued that the Premier League frontrunner is still an old face like Arsenal before Christmas, which is a bit boring, and Aston Villa could have finished at the top of the table but ended up missing out on the top, which is the biggest regret of the Premier League so far this season.
But to be honest, Aston Villa only played a few good games, and they still can't compare with the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal, and they may gradually fall back in the second half of the game. At present, the champion of the Premier League this season is likely to be an old face.