13 things we loved this weekend: Ozil, Martial, Eriksen, Messi & more
Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham men all caught our eye on an action-packed final weekend of football before Christmas.
The Premier League title race was blown wide open by Manchester City’s shock defeat to Crystal Palace, while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer enjoyed his Manchester United managerial debut and Spurs hit six at Everton.
We’ve rounded up the best of the action on and off the pitch from around the world.
Andros Townsend
Yes, you’ve already seen it a thousand times. No, you’re not bored of it yet.
Anthony Martial
Manchester United’s players seem to be enjoying their football again, and we can’t imagine why.
Mesut Ozil
You know a pass is good when the receiving player isn’t even in the picture to start with.
How to become #Ozil pic.twitter.com/0u8oxPistD
— Ù ÙۧÙÙŰčÙ Ű§ÙŰŹÙ۱ÙŰšÙۧ (@Manet_15) December 23, 2018
Christian Eriksen
He’s just really good, isn’t he?
Lionel Messi
Speaking of player’s who are really good…
Europe's top five leagues in 2018-19:
Most goals – Messi
Most assists – Messi
Most dribbles – Messi
Most chances created – Messi
Most free-kicks scored – Messi
Most key passes per 90 mins – Messi
Most goals from outside the box – MessiHe missed three weeks through injury. pic.twitter.com/OT7dG1jywz
— Football Factly (@FootballFactly) December 23, 2018
Cristiano Piccini
A 93rd-minute winner is always good, especially when it’s scored like this.
Yannick Gerhardt
Another aesthetically-pleasing later winner.
Andre Almeida
Admittedly, it does seem like the goalkeeper has given up slightly at 5-1 down.
Aritz Aduriz
Athletic Bilbao were under pressure to get a result to drag themselves out of the relegation zone in La Liga, although nobody seemed to tell Aduriz.
| GOAL! |
How about this penalty from Aritz Aduriz?!
A one-step run up was all he needed to put Athletic Bilbao in front… đ pic.twitter.com/TrhDZo3UEu
— Eleven Sports (@ElevenSports_UK) December 22, 2018
Hector Bellerin
The OG.
hector bellerin is either the man behind the gatwick drone or the detective who caught him pic.twitter.com/McRmP9Ets3
— James Lorenzo (@_JamesLorenzo) December 22, 2018
Marco Silva
What a record.
Marco Silva becomes the first manager in the Premier League to concede 6+ goals at home with 3 different clubs.
That is some stat.
— Patrick McNicholas (@PatMcNicholas) December 23, 2018
Mike Dean
It’s Mike Dean’s world, and we’re all just living in it.
đ« – âOff you popâ pic.twitter.com/hMQOrOmFGM
— MUNDIAL (@MundialMag) December 23, 2018
Christmas
It truly is the most wonderful time of the year.