And exhale.
The Premier League’s festive season concluded Thursday with a sizzling second half draw between West Ham and Tottenham, 13 days after Arsenal and Liverpool got us started on our 40-match run with a 3-3 thriller at the Emirates Staidum.
[ WATCH: Twin stunners at Wembley ]
Forty matches!
We are not grading on a curve, but we are grading relative to seasonal needs.
Arsenal
Dec. 22 - vs. Liverpool, D 3-3
Dec. 28 - at Crystal Palace, W 3-2
Dec. 31 - at West Brom, D 1-1
Jan. 3 - vs. Chelsea, D 2-2
Unbeaten! But only one win! Arsenal can feel aggrieved at West Brom’s late penalty on New Year’s Eve, and those two points are the reason Arsene Wenger’s men aren’t level on points with fifth place Spurs. All-in-all, though, these are respectable results. Grade: B.
Bournemouth
Dec. 23 - at Man City, L 0-4
Dec. 26 - vs. West Ham United, D 3-3
Dec. 30 - vs. Everton, W 2-1
Jan. 1 - at Brighton, D 2-2
There’s a reason Eddie Howe’s name is tossed about as a prime prospect for bigger clubs, and a reason Jeff Mostyn and the Bournemouth administration don’t want him going anywhere. The performances are coming around for the Cherries. Grade B-.
Brighton and Hove Albion
Dec. 23 - vs. Watford, W 1-0
Dec. 26 - at Chelsea, L 0-2
Dec. 30 - at Newcastle United, D 0-0
Jan. 1 - vs. Bournemouth, D 2-2
Chris Hughton’s doing a very good job at the Amex Stadium, and the fortnight went alright for him. Three points above the drop and a goal scorer from feeling safe. Grade B.
Burnley
Dec. 23 - vs. Spurs, L 0-3
Dec. 26 - at Manchester United, D 2-2
Dec. 30 - at Huddersfield Town, D 0-0
Jan. 1 - vs. Liverpool, L 1-2
A brutal run of opponents is hard, and shows that the Clarets were a bit of a mirage. Still a fantastic season, but only a Top Seven contender if Everton and Leicester City drop the ball. Grade C.
Chelsea
Dec. 22 - at Everton, D 0-0
Dec. 26 - vs. Brighton, W 2-0
Dec. 30 - vs. Stoke City, W 5-0
Jan. 3 - at Arsenal, D 2-2
The Blues will take the draw at Arsenal given that Thibaut Courtois’ many saves offset Alvaro Morata’s several misses. The Everton one, however, stings and stops the Blues from taking advantage of Manchester United’s draw-heavy December. Grade: B
Crystal Palace
Dec. 22 - at Swansea City, D 1-1
Dec. 28 - vs. Arsenal, L 2-3
Dec. 31 - vs. Man City, D 0-0
Jan. 2 - at Southampton, W 2-1
There’s a lot to like here, especially considering the Eagles probably deserved a point against the Gunners. The draw at Swans is poor considering how well Roy Hodgson’s had the Eagles playing, but is worth overlooking at this point considering Palace ended City’s 18-match win streak (and were a saved Luka Milivojevic penalty away from ending the prospect of an unbeaten season). Grade A-.
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 31: Christian Benteke of Crystal Palace is marshalled by Nicolas Otamendi and Kyle Walker of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Manchester City at Selhurst Park on December 31, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
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Everton
Dec. 23 - vs. Chelsea, D 0-0
Dec. 26 - at West Brom, D 0-0
Dec. 30 - at Bournemouth, L 1-2
Jan. 1 - vs. Man Utd, L 0-2
The Chelsea draw is great, and Sam Allardyce is right that he’s operating without a good striker, but this was not a good period. The loss at Bournemouth could be a blip, but the Toffees were second best at a very poor West Brom side. Grade D+.
Huddersfield Town
Dec. 23 - at Southampton, D 1-1
Dec. 26 - vs. Stoke City, D 1-1
Dec. 30 - vs. Burnley, D 0-0
Jan. 1 - at Leicester City, L 0-3
Depends on how you view David Wagner’s men, really. Are they overachievers who still should be fearing the drop, or are they a quality side who should be competing for a top half spot? We think the latter, and that makes the home draw vs. Stoke extra disappointing. Grade C.
Leicester City
Dec. 23 - vs. Manchester United, D 2-2
Dec. 26 - at Watford, L 1-2
Dec. 30 - at Liverpool, L 1-2
Jan. 1 - vs. Huddersfield Town, W 3-0
That Watford loss is just sitting there, looking out of place. Beating the Terriers and starting United’s rough patch is a good combination. Grade B-.
Liverpool
Dec. 22 - at Arsenal, D 3-3
Dec. 26 - vs. Swans, W 5-0
Dec. 30 - vs. Leicester City, W 2-1
Jan. 1 - at Burnley, W 2-1
Still humming, beat two decent teams without hemorrhaging goals, and played one of the thrillers of the season. Help coming in Virgil van Dijk, but Jurgen Klopp improved his defense before the Dutchman signed at Anfield. Grade: A.
Manchester City
Dec. 22 - vs. Bournemouth, W 4-0
Dec. 27 - at Newcastle United, W 1-0
Dec. 31 - at Crystal Palace, D 0-0
Jan. 2 - vs. Watford, W 3-1
Taking 10 of 12 points is pretty good, though Pep Guardiola will feel stung to have seen his 18-match win streak come one short of the mark he set while at Bayern Munich. Grade: A-
Manchester United
Dec. 23 - at Leicester City, D 2-2
Dec. 26 - vs. Burnley, D 2-2
Dec. 30 - vs. Southampton, D 0-0
Jan. 1 - at Everton, W 2-0
Just not acceptable. Yes the fixtures came fast, but they also continued a run in which United didn’t really seem to have a plan other than possession. Grade: C-
Newcastle United
Dec. 23 - at West Ham United, W 3-2
Dec. 26 - vs. Manchester City, L 0-1
Dec. 30 - vs. Brighton, D 0-0
Jan. 1 - at Stoke City, W 1-0
Seven points, and a Dwight Gayle missed header away from going through the festive season unbeaten? Not bad, though the Brighton draw was less than exceptional. Grade: B-
Southampton
Dec. 23 - vs. Huddersfield Town, D 1-1
Dec. 26 - at Spurs, L 2-5
Dec. 30 - at Man Utd, D 0-0
Jan. 2 - vs. Crystal Palace, L 1-2
Giving points to, at best, a pair of mid-table rivals and, at worst, a pair of relegation scrappers, is not good. The Red Devils draw boosts Mauricio Pellegrino’s grade just a tad. Grade: D
Stoke City
Dec. 23 - vs. West Bromwich Albion, W 3-1
Dec. 26 - at Huddersfield Town, D 1-1
Dec. 30 - at Chelsea, L 0-5
Jan. 1 - vs. Newcastle, L 0-1
Funny how one match can swing the whole tenor of a quartet, as the loss to fellow scrapper Newcastle colors it in a big way. Grade: C.
Swansea City
Dec. 23 - vs. Crystal Palace, D 1-1
Dec. 26 - at Liverpool, L 0-5
Dec. 30 - at Watford, W 2-1
Jan. 2 - vs. Spurs, L 0-2
Still dead last in the Premier League, but three of Swans’ four opponents were very much in form. Throw in a managerial change, and the grade should probably be a bit higher. Grade B-.
Tottenham Hotspur
Dec. 23 - at Burnley, W 3-0
Dec. 26 - vs. Southampton, W 5-2
Jan. 2 - at Swans, W 2-0
Jan. 4 - vs. West Ham, D 1-1
The draw coming how it did -- outshooting a rival 31-3 -- makes the fact that Spurs are the only club who could’ve bettered Man City’s festive season even more bitter. Still, a great run. Grade: A-
Watford
Dec. 23 - at Brighton and Hove Albion, L 0-1
Dec. 26 - vs. Leicester City, W 2-1
Dec. 30 - vs. Swans, L 1-2
Jan. 2 - at Man City, L 1-3
Marco Silva’s star doesn’t seem as shiny as it did when Watford was turning down Everton interest, and two of these losses were pretty bothersome. Five points above the drop zone now. Not great given the parity in the league. Grade C-.
West Bromwich Albion
Dec. 23 - at Stoke City, L 1-3
Dec. 26 - vs. Everton, D 0-0
Dec. 31 - vs. Arsenal, D 1-1
Jan. 2 - at West Ham, L 1-2
Still winless since August. Didn’t deserve to get a point against Arsenal, but deserved three versus Everton. Need attacking help. Grade C-.
West Ham United
Dec. 23 - vs. Newcastle United, L 2-3
Dec. 26 - at Bournemouth, D 3-3
Jan. 2 - vs. West Brom, W 2-1
Jan. 4 - at Spurs, D 1-1
You’d say bang average, but it’s difficult to overlook that the Irons have climbed out of the drop zone. Grade C+.
