Premier League Round 19: Review So Far
In this round of 19 Premier League fixtures (the festive period), we have already witnessed several important matches that have had a direct impact on the table and momentum heading into the New Year period.
Newcastle United hosted Burnley and finally returned to winning ways, securing a much-needed victory and getting back on track after a difficult run of results. The performance was important not only for confidence but also for stabilising their league position at a crucial stage of the season.
Chelsea and Bournemouth delivered one of the most entertaining matches of the round, sharing the points in a 2–2 draw. Once again, Chelsea’s defensive issues were exposed, as the Blues struggled to maintain control at the back despite showing attacking quality. Dropped points continue to be a recurring problem for Chelsea this season.
Everton recorded an impressive away victory over Nottingham Forest, winning 2–0 without conceding a goal. The clean sheet and three points allowed Everton to climb back into important positions in the table, underlining their growing stability and defensive organisation. Jordan Pickford was outscoring in the goal.
Arsenal Dominant in Derby Clash
The standout fixture of the round was the derby between Arsenal and Aston Villa. Arsenal produced a commanding performance, winning 4–1 and reaffirming their status at the top of the Premier League table.
Unlike their previous comeback victory against Chelsea, Aston Villa were unable to repeat that scenario. Their extremely defensive approach was heavily punished by Arsenal, who controlled the game and exposed Villa’s lack of attacking ambition. Villa struggled defensively and suffered a heavy defeat, while Arsenal maintained first place, a position they have now held for a remarkably long period this season.
Mixed Results Elsewhere
Manchester United changed their formation, and that experiment ended with only a draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers. It surely does not work for Manchester United since they dropped very important points against Wolverhampton.
Wolves remained unbeaten, and that was so big for them. This match marked the first positive result for Edwards as Wolves’ head coach, a result that brought visible satisfaction and stability to the team. They have won the third point of PL this season, and Manchester United has lost many.
West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion shared the points in a 2–2 draw. While West Ham managed to rescue a point, there was a clear sense of disappointment, as they had hoped to secure all three points at home. West Ham failed to win against Fulham, and now Brighton is making less and less space to win in the league. They are in so a hard position in the relegation battle, and Brighton away was a potential match in which they could maybe gain a victory for and so wanted three points finally.
They did not win in the league for a long time and are in a bad position.
Remaining Fixtures Still to Come
The remaining matches of Premier League Round 19 will not be played on Wednesday, 31 December, due to New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Instead, the final fixtures of the round are scheduled to take place on Thursday, the 1st January, and the special festive football calendar will continue.
These Premier League teams will start this calendar year 2026 with the remaining 19th match week in the Premier League. These matches will be played on 1st January 2026:
Crystal Palace
Fulham
Liverpool
Leeds
Brentford
Tottenham
Sunderland
Manchester City
Crystal Palace – Fulham
Crystal Palace and Fulham will contest a small London derby, with Palace entering the match in very poor form and facing major problems with efficiency, especially due to the absence of Sarr, who is away at the AFCON. Despite their struggles, Crystal Palace go into this home fixture as slight favourites.
Fulham, who are in much better form, approach this match under significantly less pressure. A win is not an imperative for them, which allows Crystal Palace to play with greater freedom. Palace, on the other hand, are under stronger pressure due to its recent results and overall situation.
Taking into account Oliver Glasner’s serious approach and the overall quality of the two squads, we give a narrow advantage to Crystal Palace, as the quality is still on their side. The timing of this match suits Palace, particularly because Fulham do not have a strong need for victory, which further strengthens Palace’s status as favourites.
Our prediction: a tight and defensively disciplined match. We believe Crystal Palace will eventually break down Fulham’s resistance and secure the win.
Liverpool – Leeds
Liverpool have returned to winning ways and are currently among the top four teams in the table. At Anfield, they have enough quality and control to stop Leeds, whose great run actually began against Liverpool earlier in the season.
Our prediction: Leeds have a weaker squad and are unlikely to find much space against a strong, well-prepared Liverpool side. We expect Liverpool to control the match and impose their rhythm from the opening minutes.
Brentford – Tottenham
We give the advantage to Brentford, who scored four goals in the previous round and are in strong form. This fixture comes at an awkward moment for Tottenham, whose team is currently lacking offensive balance and consistency.
Tottenham were the better side earlier in the season, but current form clearly favours Brentford. The home side looks more compact, organised, and confident in recent weeks. For Tottenham, even a draw would likely be considered a positive result.
Our prediction: Branford will overplay Tottenham and take a hard blow to them.
Sunderland – Manchester City
Sunderland and Manchester City will play a match where possession will be decisive. If Manchester City dominate the ball and apply sustained attacking pressure, they should secure the victory. However, if Sunderland manages to control possession and slow the tempo, it could create an opportunity for an upset.
Our prediction: Manchester City will win without many problems, controlling the game.
About the Author
