The Christmas gift Liverpool receives from Manchester United

While Liverpool consolidated their lead in the Premier League with a win over Leicester City, their main contenders, Manchester City, stumbled at home by drawing 1-1 with Everton on Boxing Day. This result is a significant blow to City's title aspirations and directly benefits Liverpool.

Manchester City's Bad Run Extends:

What seemed unthinkable a few months ago has become a reality: Manchester City are in a deep crisis of results. Their negative run extends to just one victory in the last 13 games in all competitions, and they have not won any of their last four Premier League encounters. This drought of victories is a key factor in Liverpool's strengthening in the table.

Pep Guardiola's Perspective:

Despite the draw and the bad run, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola praised the performance of his players. "We played very well, but we are in a period where these things happen. We create chances, but we concede at the first opportunity they [opponents] have," he said after the match. Guardiola insisted that the team's performance, both offensively and defensively, was good, but lamented the lack of decisiveness in front of goal.

Everton's Situation:

The draw against Manchester City is a valuable result for Everton, who now sit five points above the relegation zone. However, their position could change depending on the results of other teams in the upcoming matches. Everton manager Sean Dyche expressed his concerns before the match, but was pleased with his team's performance and the way they handled City's pressure.

Premier League implications:

Manchester City's draw with Everton has major implications for the Premier League title race:

Biggest advantage for Liverpool: Liverpool benefit directly from City's slip-up, extending their lead in the table and consolidating themselves as serious title contenders.

Pressure on Manchester City: City's poor run of form increases the pressure on the team and Pep Guardiola, who are now forced to turn things around to avoid losing ground in the championship race.

Opportunity for other teams: City's slip-up opens the door for other teams to close in on the top spots in the table.

Bottom line: Manchester City's Boxing Day draw with Everton has been a key result in the Premier League. While Liverpool strengthen at the top, City suffers a results crisis that complicates their title aspirations. This context adds excitement and uncertainty to the increasingly competitive English league.

Combining this information with the previous story gives a complete picture of the day: Liverpool are taking advantage of their rival's slip-up and pulling away at the top of the table, while Manchester City are facing a results crisis that is jeopardising their championship aspirations.