The top Premier League moments of the month - December 2021
By 90min Staff
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Despite what felt like hundreds of postponements, the Premier League kept on rolling throughout December and still served up huge helpings of drama.
There were plenty of screamers, meaty challenges and comedic moments for fans across the globe to sink their teeth into.
Here are the 10 best Premier League moments from December - ranked.
10. Divock Origi saves Liverpool in stoppage time (again)
What an obscene Liverpool legacy Divock Origi has.
The Belgian striker has never been prolific for the Reds, but boy can he pick and choose his moments.
His latest in the long line of famous Liverpool flashpoints came in their trip to Wolves at the start of the month. With Bruno Lage's men holding their own for 95 minutes, it looked as though Jurgen Klopp and his side would be heading home with only a point.
Arise Origi, who saved Liverpool's skin with virtually the last kick of the game.
9. West Ham rise to the occasion to sink Chelsea
Origi's winner at Molineux was all the more crucial because of what transpired earlier that day.
Chelsea travelled across London to West Ham with only two points separating the top three, but faltered in keeping pace with Liverpool and Manchester City.
Goals from Manuel Lanzini, Jarrod Bowen and a late cross-cum-shot from Arthur Masuaku ensured the Irons triumphed in this mammoth clash at the beginning of a turbulent month for Chelsea.
8. Brentford's late flurry punishes Watford
Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher have waxed lyrical plenty about Brentford's opening Friday night extravaganza in the Premier League, and weren't disappointing when they took a stroll down to Kew Bridge on 10 December.
Emmanuel Dennis gave Watford a first-half lead as Claudio Ranieri's men looked to claw their way out of the relegation battle and drag Brentford into it, but their luck run out.
After a second-half onslaught, club captain Pontus Jansson levelled the scores with five minutes remaining, before Bryan Mbeumo scored from the penalty spot deep into stoppage time to earn the Bees another memorable win.
7. Demarai Gray's screamer saves Everton
Before Arsenal's mid-winter transformation, they first had to endure a couple of major wobbles.
Mikel Arteta's men were beaten 3-2 by Michael Carrick's Man Utd (boy does that feel a world away), but their defeat at Everton days later felt like the real sucker punch.
Martin Odegaard gave the Gunners the lead against the run of play, but Rafa Benitez's Blues were eventually rewarded for their bombardment of Aaron Ramsdale's goal.
After having two strikes cruelly ruled out by VAR, Richarlison managed to grab a deserved equaliser, before Demarai Gray's stoppage-time rocket turned the game on its head.
6. Newcastle put the frighteners on Man Utd
Despite fresh optimism on Tyneside, Newcastle have flattered to deceive following Mike Ashley's departure.
The Magpies' sole win of the season came against fellow strugglers Burnley earlier in December, and many tipped that they would be torn apart just after Boxing Day when Man Utd - fresh from a two-week Covid-induced break - rocked up to St James' Park.
But Eddie Howe's side put in their first premier performance of the season, imposing themselves as the protagonists and leaving the match bitterly disappointed that the Red Devils had managed to steal a point. It's a funny old game.
5. Raul Jimenez earns a silly red card
Raul Jimenez simply returning to a football pitch after such a horrific head injury is one of the more heartwarming stories of this season. But his red card in Wolves' eventual loss at Man City is up there as one of the funniest.
The Mexico international received a yellow card for a late challenge on Rodri in the middle of the pitch. Fair enough. Jimenez then decided not to let City take the resulting free kick fairly, earning another warning from referee Jon Moss.
But then he blocked the same free kick again, earning himself a second yellow card. Amazing.
4. Leicester nearly pull off all-time comeback
'Nearly' might be doing some heavy lifting here, but spectators at the Etihad Stadium were treated to a Christmas cracker regardless.
Despite Leicester creating some half-decent openings themselves, Man City raced into a four-goal lead before half-time.
But Brendan Rodgers' men didn't let that deter them and they fired back with three goals shortly after the interval. It's a shame that City did the same, really.
3. Leicester dent Liverpool's title hopes
And while Leicester fell to defeat against one title challenger, they avenged that loss a couple of days later at home to another.
Mohamed Salah's first-half penalty was denied by Kasper Schmeichel, and the Foxes withstood a barrage of Liverpool attacks, taking the lead through Ademola Lookman and never looking back.
2. Tottenham & Liverpool play out Premier League classic
Liverpool's last Premier League game before that loss at the King Power Stadium was quite the contest, too.
Spurs made a long-awaited return to action after a Covid-19 outbreak and looked the perfect image of Antonio Conte's vision, taking an early lead through Harry Kane (before he should have seen red).
Against the run of play, Liverpool managed to turn the game on its head and Spurs went into the final 20 minutes trailing. But a mistake from Alisson allowed Son Heung-min to equalise, and though Andy Robertson was dismissed for rough challenge on Emerson Royal, the Reds held on to secure a precious point.
1. Chelsea & Leeds' late duel at Stamford Bridge
In a month where Chelsea's title charge fell apart due to a number of draws, they tried their best to keep it going with a late win at home to Leeds.
Joe Gelhardt had managed to level the scores at 2-2 with under 10 minutes remaining at Stamford Bridge, and both sides frantically pushed on in search of a winner.
But deep into stoppage time, Mateusz Klich fouled Antonio Rudiger in the penalty area and Jorginho stepped up to inflict late heartbreak on Leeds.
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