Game Thread: 01-2/3/4

cjdmadcow

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No rest for the wicked - and particularly the Liverpool and Man City players who only finished their game 41 hours ago - so here we go with the start of the second half of the season. Just the 6 games today with interest at the top & bottom of the league.

Middlesbrough v Leicester City (12:30)
Everton v Southampton
Manchester City v Burnley
Sunderland v Liverpool
West Bromwich Albion v Hull City
West Ham United v Manchester United (17:15 GMT)
 

SocrManiac

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It's hard to see how this fixture list is for the fans. Folks want to see their teams play well and not pick up injuries with too little downtime. Not a good look here.
 

SoxFanInCali

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The number of games in a short time is bad enough, but what sucks is that it is not the same for everyone. This is Liverpool's 3rd game in 7 days (from 12/27 to 1/2). Chelsea has their 3 games over 10 days (from 12/26 to 1/4).

NBC expected Liverpool to wear the neon jerseys rather than the black. They switched the score graphic background color while the game was going on.
 
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SoxFanInCali

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Tons of action in the first 20 minutes, and Liverpool finally break through with Sturridge putting in the second ball from a corner.
 

SoxFanInCali

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Sunderland equalize on a penalty. He was looking for it, but Klavan gave him the opportunity to go down and the ref called it. Defoe just beats Mignolet to score it.
 

PedroSpecialK

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Klavan hammers a 20' pass to Can that goes out of play for a Sunderland throw - Januzaj finds N'Dong on the ensuing throw in, who draws a clear penalty on Klavan.

Less of this please

edit: as I type that, a 2-0 break that somehow Mignolet short circuits
 

SocrManiac

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Haz Januzaj always been this much of a cunty little bitch? His whining actually seems worse than his time at Manchester.
 

SoxFanInCali

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Liverpool look a step slow to react to everything. Who would have thought that would happen when playing a road game less that 48 hours after the last fixture?

Credit to Sunderland, they recognize it and are really pushing the pace.
 

SoxFanInCali

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Liverpool not the only one struggling with the quick turnaround. Man City are down to 10 after Fernandinho was sent off.
 

PedroSpecialK

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If nothing else, this first half has shown Henderson's importance to this side. I'm losing count of the amount of times Emre Can's been caught in possession or misplaced a pass in the face of Sunderland's press
 

SocrManiac

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Oh, fuck off Wijnaldum. Thanks for the goal against City, but good god the finishing has been awful all season.
 

SocrManiac

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Milner had a second yellow coming at some point. Better to concede a pair of goals from an absent left back, I guess.
 

SoxFanInCali

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The commentators are acting like Can had his arm fully stretched out. It was slightly away from the body in a natural position, and the ball hit him from about 2 feet away. Not sure how he was supposed to avoid it.

Manquillo about to join Borini as Liverpool flops on the pitch for Sunderland. Can't wait for them to combine for a goal.
 

luckiestman

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The commentators are acting like Can had his arm fully stretched out. It was slightly away from the body in a natural position, and the ball hit him from about 2 feet away. Not sure how he was supposed to avoid it.

Manquillo about to join Borini as Liverpool flops on the pitch for Sunderland. Can't wait for them to combine for a goal.

I agree, but I'm for Liverpool so I realize I might be biased.
 

SoxFanInCali

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Another goal from the second ball off a corner. This one flicked on by one of Sunderland's players right to Mane on the doorstep.
 

SoxFanInCali

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I agree, but I'm for Liverpool so I realize I might be biased.
Oh, I'm biased beyond belief, but I also played the game, and I don't know how I would have pulled my arm away from that in time.

I've been seeing it more lately, where a player just inside the box looks like he tries to just flip the ball up against the defender and hope it hits the arm for a call.
 

SoxFanInCali

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They were talking about the old days of playing on both Christmas and Boxing Day earlier. Not exactly the type you would expect to be too worried about concussions.
 

Cellar-Door

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So infuriating. Looked like the better team before the red, still playing well after. Have to think had a real chance to take all 3, now will eventually have a mistake by a tired player and take none.
 

PedroSpecialK

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Rashford appears to be developing the awareness and poise on top of his natural gifts that will take him to the next level - at the very least, much more so than I've ever seen from Raheem Sterling
 

Zomp

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Two games in a row where Mourinho has been very aggressive with his substitutions. Going 3 at the back during spells of both games. Obviously this game has been easier to do it playing a man up but it's encouraging to see.

6 on the bounce for United in the Premier League. Unfortunately there wasn't many dropped points for the top 6 during the Christmas break but I don't think many United fans will complain.
 

Zomp

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Rashford appears to be developing the awareness and poise on top of his natural gifts that will take him to the next level - at the very least, much more so than I've ever seen from Raheem Sterling
He hardly ever puts a wrong foot in and his decision making process has been top class ever since his debut. Between he and Martial the future is definitely bright. If you had to guess who will go on to be the better player it'd be tough. Both of their futures seem to be up top but I enjoy seeing them out wide. I'm not saying they'll develop anywhere close to Ronaldo or Robben but I can see Rashford in particular becoming a scoring winger.
 

coremiller

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This is a pretty violent match so far. There's no love lost between these sides.