Manchester is simply dominating
English soccer has never seen a team so utterly dominant as Manchester City entering the packed Christmas season.
There seems little doubt that coach Pep Guardiola will be raising the Premier League trophy for the first time in May.
It is just a question of when City will wrap up its third title since 2014, and how many records will tumble on the way.
City has already reeled off the most consecutive English top-flight wins — a record extended at the weekend to 17 games.
Manchester United’s record Premier League title-winning margin of 18 points from 2000 could also be under threat. And England could be looking at its third unbeaten “Invincibles” team after Preston in 1888-89 and Arsenal in 2003-04.
So it doesn’t bode well for a compelling second half of the Premier League season? Think again.
The chase for the other three Champions League spots should be fierce with eight points separating second-place Manchester United and Arsenal in sixth.
Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham are in the mix among them. Two leading sides will fall by the wayside and be denied a place among the European elite.
The battle to stay in the world’s richest soccer league is also intense. No team is stranded at the bottom, with Swansea in 20th place only six points behind Southampton in 13th.