Improving England left with lessons still to learn

ENGLAND IN SOUTH AFRICA 2015-16 England won the series 2-1
Man of the series: Ben Stokes (England)

26-30 Dec	1ST England 303 & 326 beat South Africa 214 & 174 by 241 runs	Durban
2-6 Jan	2ND England 629-6d & 159-6 drew with South Africa 627-7d	Cape Town
14-16 Jan	3RD England 323 & 74-3 beat South Africa 313 & 83 by seven wickets	Johannesburg
22-26 Jan	4TH South Africa 475 & 248-5d beat England 342 & 101 by 280 runs	Centurion

ENGLAND provided a highly disappointing denouement to an otherwise successful series in South Africa after being bowled out for 101 to lose the fourth Test by 280 runs.

Already 2-0 up heading into the final match, Alastair Cook's men showed a distinct lack of ruthlessness or character in going down to such a heavy defeat, the manner of which recalled their awful innings loss at the Oval in August against Australia.

Back then, the Ashes had likewise been won with a game to spare - although, in fairness to this touring squad, there were other more pleasant similarities to the summer success.

For instance, man of the series this time - Ben Stokes - carried on his general good form with bat and ball, and improved his Test average in both disciplines. Meanwhile, Stuart Broad produced another simply magical spell.

The highlight for Stokes, of course, was his 258 in the second Test in Cape Town, in which he hit 11 sixes and 30 fours, and for which he faced just 198 balls.

Statistically, it was the second-fastest double-hundred in Tests, beaten only by New Zealander Nathan Astle (153 balls) against England in Christchurch in 2002.

It was therefore the quickest double century by an England player and the highest score by an England batsman at number six or lower in the order.

Stokes' partnership of 399 with Jonny Bairstow was the second highest for England in all Tests, the highest ever in South Africa, and the highest sixth-wicket stand in Test history.

But, ultimately, the pair's efforts actually counted for little as a high-scoring draw ensued.

South Africa also performed well with the bat on a flat surface as Hashim Amla joined Stokes in reaching a double century and Temba Bavuma became the first black Proteas player to score a Test ton.

Subsequently, England briefly threatened to become the first ever team to score more than 600 runs in a first innings and contrive to lose as they wobbled on 116-6 on the final day. 

Thankfully, though, Bairstow and Moeen Ali steadied the ship before the two skippers - Cook and Amla - shook hands, the latter for the final time as Test captain following his shock mid-series resignation. 

So, while the second Test will simply go down in the record books as an inevitable draw, Amla's decision and the notable - and, in some cases, historic - achievements of players from both sides means this was no dull affair. 

Still, enough about the stalemate - and now more about how the tourists claimed a first away Test series win anywhere since victory in India in 2012.

Well, the first Test in Durban - where England are unbeaten since 1928 - is not such an easy success to explain. There was no England centurion with the bat in either innings and none of the bowlers produced a fabled five-fer. 

Nevertheless, Stuart Broad took 4-25 in the South African first innings and Steven Finn took 4-42 in the second as Cook's team claimed a comfortable 241-run win on the final day.

Remarkably, it was the first time England had won the opening Test of an away series since their victory over Bangladesh in Chittagong in March 2010. 

And, truly, such occurrences are rare beasts as the time before that was in December 2004 against South Africa in Port Elizabeth.

The key to the other Test win, in the third match in Johannesburg, is rather easier to pinpoint as Broad produced another simply wonderful spell to add to his legendary 8-15 in the Ashes last summer. 

This time, an even game with only 10 runs between the sides after the first innings, was turned on its head in a few balls by the Notts paceman. 

In fact, Broad took 5-1 in just 31 balls on his way to overall figures of 6-17 as the Proteas were bundled out for a shell-shocked 83. 

England knocked off the runs before the third day was over - and, with the series won, Broad could also celebrate being statistically recognised as the number one bowler in the world. 

What has happened over the last five days in Centurion does not neatly follow the narrative - and this morning's loss of 7-43 was frankly pathetic, even if 20-year-old Kagiso Rabada was superb in taking match figures of 13-144. 

Then again, the momentum in the Ashes summer similarly swung wildly between the teams - and so England, despite a fine series win, will remain dogged by the tag of inconsistency.

Nowhere perhaps is this clearer than in their catching. Sometimes excellent - particularly the efforts of James Taylor at short-leg - it is still all-too-often the first sign that England do not feel as if it is going to be their day. 

The other major problem remains at the top of the order where Alex Hales has struggled. This was despite him becoming the eighth opening partner to Alastair Cook since he lost his predecessor as captain, Andrew Strauss in 2012.

For the record, the previous seven men were Ali, Adam Lyth, Jonathan Trott, Sam Robson, Michael Carberry, Joe Root and Nick Compton - with the latter two batting at three and four in this series.

Simply put - until England can consistently see off the new ball, then they will remain susceptible to collapse and shoddy, inconsistent results.

And, while that may sound too simplistic, there are clearly no easy solutions. 

Stick with Hales? Promote Compton back up the order? Bring in yet another new man like James Vince? None of these options looks overly appealing. 

At least the two home series against Sri Lanka and India - both notoriously poor travellers - offer a chance to make progress on this issue.

In the meantime, England face the Proteas in five One-Day Internationals and two Twenty20 matches ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup in India in March.

CENTURIES
258 Ben Stokes (England) in the second Test, Cape Town 
201 Hashim Amla (South Africa) in the second Test, Cape Town
150 Jonny Bairstow (England) in the second Test, Cape Town
129* Quinton de Kock (South Africa) in the fourth Test, Centurion
118* Dean Elgar (South Africa) in the first Test, Durban
115 Stephen Cook (South Africa) in the fourth Test, Centurion
110 Joe Root (England) in the third Test, Johannesburg
109 Hashim Amla (South Africa) in the fourth Test, Centurion
102* Temba Bavuma (South Africa) in the second Test, Cape Town

TOP RUN SCORERS
470 Hashim Amla (South Africa)
411 Ben Stokes (England)
386 Joe Root (England)
359 Jonny Bairstow (England)
284 Dean Elgar (South Africa)
248 Temba Bavuma (South Africa)
245 Nick Compton (England)
210 AB de Villiers (South Africa)

BEST BATTING AVERAGES
143.00 Quinton de Kock (South Africa)
71.80 Jonny Bairstow (England)
70.00 Stephen Cook (South Africa)*
67.14 Hashim Amla (South Africa)
58.71 Ben Stokes (England)
55.14 Joe Root (England)
49.60 Temba Bavuma (South Africa)
47.33 Dean Elgar (South Africa)
32.66 Chris Morris (South Africa)
30.62 Nick Compton (England)
30.00 AB de Villiers (South Africa)
29.00 Moeen Ali (England)

FIVE-WICKET HAULS
7-112 Kagiso Rabada (South Africa) in the fourth Test, Centurion 
6-17 Stuart Broad (England) in the third Test, Johannesburg
6-32 Kagiso Rabada (South Africa) in the fourth Test, Centurion 
5-78 Kagiso Rabada (South Africa) in the third Test, Johannesburg
5-153 Dane Piedt (South Africa) in the first Test, Durban

TOP WICKET TAKERS
22 Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)
18 Stuart Broad (England)
15 Morne Morkel (South Africa)
12 Ben Stokes (England)
11 Steven Finn (England)
10 Dane Piedt (South Africa), Moeen Ali (England)

BEST BOWLING AVERAGES
20.00 Dale Steyn (South Africa)*
20.61 Stuart Broad (England)
21.90 Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)
23.00 Stiaan van Zyl (South Africa)
26.09 Steven Finn (England)
28.00 JP Duminy (South Africa)
29.16 Ben Stokes (England)
29.73 Morne Morkel (South Africa)

*played one match only

The Season 2015/16: Arsenal lead Leicester at the halfway stage

SEASON 2015/16

Preview - Halfway

1 ARSENAL (P19 W12 D3 L4 F33 A18 Pts 39)
Premier League: LWDWWLWWWWWDLDWWWLW
FA Cup: 3R v Sunderland (H) on 9 January at 3pm
League Cup: lost 0-3 v Sheffield Wednesday (A) in fourth round
Europe: UCL Last 16 v Barcelona (H) on 23 February/(A) on 16 March
Manager: Arsene Wenger (since October 1996) Top scorer: Olivier Giroud (15)
As ever, it has been a bit of a bumpy ride at the Emirates - but Arsenal find themselves top heading into the New Year after four wins in their last five league games. The Gunners' customary November wobble threatened once again to derail their title challenge before it had even properly begun - but the goalscoring form of Olivier Giroud and the mountain of assists from Mesut Ozil have both made Arsene Wenger a sanguine man this Christmas. Ozil, especially, has been brilliant in this campaign, and his total of 16 assists at the halfway stage is just four behind the full-season Premier League record already held in Arsenal colours by Thierry Henry in 2002-03. 
Meanwhile, a scramble through the Champions League group after defeats in three of their first four games only brought the reward of Barcelona in February. Instead then, minds may be forced to focus on delivering a first Premier League title in 12 years - and that, of course, would represent the culmination of what had previously seemed to be a never-ending rebuild job.

2 LEICESTER CITY (P19 W11 D6 L2 F37 A25 Pts 39)
Premier League: WWDDWDLWDWWWWDWWWLD
FA Cup: 3R v Tottenham Hotspur (A) on 10 January at 4pm
League Cup: lost 4-5 on pens (after 1-1 aet) v Hull City (A) in fourth round
Manager: Claudio Ranieri (since July 2015) Top scorer: Jamie Vardy (15)
Long-time pace-setters Leicester City are still only kept off the top on goal difference, a phenomenal achievement at the halfway stage by the East Midlands club. Unsurprisingly, most of the headlines have deservedly gone to striker Jamie Vardy after he scored in 11 consecutive Premier League matches to break Ruud van Nistelrooy's record - but the fine contributions elsewhere of playmaker Riyad Mahrez and midfielder N'Golo Kante have not gone unnoticed. Looking ahead, the Foxes have given themselves a hell of a chance at least of a top four finish if they continue to ally their no-fear attitude to their pacy counter-attacking style. But a few more clean-sheets, like that achieved on Tuesday in a 0-0 draw against Manchester City, will be required for Claudio Ranieri's men to realise their dream.

3 MANCHESTER CITY (P19 W11 D3 L5 F37 A20 Pts 36) 
Premier League: WWWWWLLWWDWDLWLWLWD
FA Cup: 3R v Norwich City (A) on 9 January at 3pm
League Cup: SF v Everton (A) on 6 January/(H) on 27 January
Europe: UCL Last 16 v Dinamo Kiev (A) on 24 February/(H) on 15 March
Manager: Manuel Pellegrini (since June 2013) Top scorer: Kevin De Bruyne (10)
Five games into the season, Manchester City were sitting top with a perfect record having not conceded a goal - but, since then, things have not gone to plan at all. While home form - excepting the 4-1 defeat to Liverpool - has remained strong, the Blues have looked massively vulnerable on the road. Away defeats have come against Tottenham Hotspur, Stoke City and Arsenal, while matches at Manchester United, Aston Villa and, most recently, Leicester City have all ended in 0-0 stalemates. Despite the efforts of Kevin De Bruyne to fill in, the lack of goals in these games has not been helped by the long absence of Sergio Aguero through injury with Wilfried Bony not looking like a particularly worthy understudy most of the time.
At least City broke through a glass ceiling in winning their Champions League group for the first time this season. Their reward is an eminently winnable tie against Dynamo Kiev - and with a League Cup semi final against Everton also to come in the New Year, Manuel Pellegrini's men actually remain in the hunt for all four major trophies. It would be a major surprise, though, if they pulled anything like that off as regular speculation over Pellegrini's fate in May will surely lead to continued uncertainty on the pitch. This team, at its best, undoubtedly has the talent to win another Premier League title - but does it have the will?

4 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (P19 W9 D8 L2 F33 A15 Pts 35)
Premier League: LDDDWWWDDWWDWDDLWWW
FA Cup: 3R v Leicester City (H) on 10 January at 4pm
League Cup: lost 1-2 v Arsenal (H) in third round
Europe: UEL Last 32 v Fiorentina (A) on 18 February/(H) on 25 February
Manager: Mauricio Pochettino (since May 2014) Top scorer: Harry Kane (13)
Tottenham Hotspur are the team which, this season, holds the longest sequence for unbeaten Premier League games. Spurs went 14 matches without defeat between an unfortunate opening day loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford and a shock 2-1 home reversal to Newcastle United halfway through last month. Irritatingly for the White Hart Lane faithful, though, only six of the 14 games ended in victory, and that tendency to draw matches - while showing a new-found defensive steel - was effectively depriving Pochettino's men from a place in the top four. Nevertheless, an excellent Christmas period - featuring two away wins at Southampton and Watford, and an easy 3-0 home win over Norwich City - has now put Tottenham in the Champions League spots. In fact, they are a whole four points clear of fifth-placed Crystal Palace and look as if they are only going to get stronger.

5 CRYSTAL PALACE (P19 W9 D4 L6 F23 A16 Pts 31)
Premier League: WLWWLLWWLLDWLWDWWDD
FA Cup: 3R v Southampton (A) on 9 January at 3pm
League Cup: lost 1-5 v Manchester City (A) in fourth round
Manager: Alan Pardew (since January 2015) Top scorer: Yohan Cabaye (5)
Manager Alan Pardew continues to do an impressive job at Crystal Palace and looks set to be rewarded with a new contract at Selhurst Park by chairman Steve Parish. Heading into the New Year with just one defeat since October - although that was a shocker at home to Sunderland - the Eagles can soar into 2016 with an optimistic mindset. Of their five other league defeats this season, one has come at home to West Ham United and the other four have been to each of the sides above them, meaning it would be a surprise if Palace climbed any higher than fifth. Indeed, with a lack of goals up front - midfielder Yohan Cabaye is top scorer - and the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool lying in wait just behind the south Londoners in the table, the continued stability of a place in the top-half should remain the aim. 

6 MANCHESTER UNITED (P19 W8 D6 L5 F22 A16 Pts 30)
Premier League: WWDLWWWLWDDWWDDLLLD
FA Cup: 3R v Sheffield United (H) on 9 January at 5.30pm
League Cup: lost 1-3 on pens (after 0-0 aet) v Middlesbrough (H) in fourth round
Europe: UEL Last 32 v Midtjylland (H) on 18 February/(A) on 25 February. Knocked out of UCL group stage (W2 D2 L2 F7 A7)
Manager: Louis Van Gaal (since July 2014) Top scorer: Anthony Martial, Wayne Rooney (7)
First, the good news for Manchester United fans - their team has kept more clean sheets than any other side in the Premier League this season. Now, the bad news - a run of eight games without a win in all competitions is the Red Devils' worst in 25 years. Worse still, it has dropped them well away from a title chase in which they were only previously hanging on by their fingertips. Louis Van Gaal may have achieved his aim of bringing back Champions League football to Old Trafford with a fourth-placed finish last season but a lot more progress was expected in this campaign. 
French signing, 20-year-old Anthony Martial, started brightly but has faded - and, with Wayne Rooney unable to pick up the slack, the team has struggled badly for goals and even, at times, any sort of threat or inspiration. It was quite appropriate that two 0-0 home draws in the Champions League against PSV Eindhoven and the League Cup against Middlesbrough have ultimately cost Van Gaal's men their place in both competitions. And, while the Dutchman hangs on to his position for now, patience with him is growing ever thinner.

7 LIVERPOOL (P19 W8 D6 L5 F22 A22 Pts 30)
Premier League: WWDLLDWDDDWLWWLDLWW
FA Cup: 3R v Exeter City (A) on 8 January at 7.55pm
League Cup: SF v Stoke City (A) on 5 January/(H) on 26 January
Europe: UEL Last 32 v Augsburg (A) on 18 February/(H) on 25 February
Manager: Jurgen Klopp (since October 2015) Top scorer: Christian Benteke (6)
Such was the pressure he was under at the start of the season, the reign of Brendan Rodgers was never going to last more than a few more weeks. As it happens, the final game for the Northern Irishman was a 1-1 draw in the 225th Merseyside derby against Everton in early October - at the time, a fifth occurrence in six matches of the Reds taking a 1–0 lead, only for the contest to end in a stalemate. The giveaways were becoming just far too frequent. 
Not that the short reign so far of new boss Jurgen Klopp has been entirely without its hiccups - defeats away at Newcastle United and Watford sandwiched a bizarrely celebrated 2-2 home draw with West Bromwich Albion. And, while two narrow 1-0 wins over Leicester City and Sunderland have got Liverpool turned back in the right direction for now, the inconsistency of an unbalanced squad confirms the problems at Anfield always ran deeper than Rodgers solely.

8 WEST HAM UNITED (P19 W7 D8 L4 F28 A23 Pts 29)
Premier League: WLLWWWDDWWLDLDDDDDW
FA Cup: 3R v Wolverhampton Wanderers (H) on 9 January at 3pm
League Cup: lost 1-2 v Leicester City (A) in third round
Europe: lost 3-4 on agg v Astra Giurgiu (2-2h, 1-2a) in third qualifying round
Manager: Slaven Bilic (since June 2015) Top scorer: Dimitri Payet (5)
Stunning away wins against Arsenal (2-0), Liverpool (3-0), Manchester City (2-1) and Crystal Palace (3-1) as well as a home win over struggling Chelsea - all by the end of October - gave rise to the hope that this was going to be a rather special season for West Ham United. But, since then, the Hammers have treaded water - and their comeback win against Southampton on Monday was their first league victory in nine games. Not that Slaven Bilic's men have been plummeting down the table - six of those previous eight matches ended level including a sequence of five successive draws featuring three consecutive 0-0s. Yes, the loss of the excellent Dimitri Payet has been keenly felt but the French playmaker is back for the visit of Liverpool to the Boleyn Ground today, as the east Londoners begin their final five months in that ground.

9 WATFORD (P19 W8 D5 L6 F24 A20 Pts 29)
Premier League: DDDLWWLDLWWLLWWWWDL
FA Cup: 3R v Newcastle United (H) on 9 January at 3pm
League Cup: lost 0-1 v Preston North End (A) in second round
Manager: Quique Sanchez Flores (since June 2015) Top scorer: Odion Ighalo (14)
Watford dipped their toe in the water as they began life back in the Premier League with three draws - but, thanks to the Troy Deeney-Odion Ighalo strike partnership, the Hornets have now won eight of their last 15 games and look very comfortable indeed at this level. Ighalo, in particular, has enjoyed an annus mirabilis, scoring 30 goals in the calendar year of 2015 - more than any other player in England's top four divisions. It meant promotion in May, of course - and now means Quique Flores' vintage already have more points from the first half of the campaign than Watford's two previous Premier League teams finished with in 2000 and 2007. Will there be an unlikely push for a European spot in the second half?

10 STOKE CITY (P19 W8 D5 L6 F20 A19 Pts 29)
Premier League: LDDLLDWWWLDWWLWDLWW
FA Cup: 3R v Doncaster Rovers (A) on 9 January at 3pm
League Cup: SF v Liverpool (H) on 5 January/(A) on 26 January
Manager: Mark Hughes (since May 2013) Top scorer: Marko Arnautovic (7)
Despite a slow start, solidly midtable Stoke City will be pleased with their campaign so far having reached a cup semi final and collected 29 points. Winless in their first six league games, the Potters seemed to revert to a back to basics approach in a series of one-goal victories in a seven week period over Bournemouth, Aston Villa, Swansea City, Chelsea, and Southampton. However, in more recent wins at home to both Manchester clubs and away to Everton, Mark Hughes' men have played far more expansively, even earning the nickname Stokelona for the presence of a clutch of players who once plied their trade at the Camp Nou. Star of the show at the Britannia, though, has been former Twente and Werder Bremen forward Marko Arnautovic - he already has his own highest Premier League return of seven goals this season.

11 EVERTON (P19 W6 D8 L5 F35 A28 Pts 26)
Premier League: DWLDWDWDLLWDWDDDLWL
FA Cup: 3R v Dagenham & Redbridge (H) on 9 January at 3pm
League Cup: SF v Manchester City (H) on 6 January/(A) on 27 January
Manager: Roberto Martinez (since July 2013) Top scorer: Romelu Lukaku (18)
On the face of it, Everton are a bit of an enigma this season - they are the division's third-top scorers with more goals than leaders Arsenal - and yet they remain locked in midtable with their only league victories since September coming against the current bottom three. Looking more closely, though, it is not that much of a mystery - for, while hot-shot Romelu Lukaku has been adeptly assisted by Gerard Deulofeu and Ross Barkley in midfield, the backline has creaked over and over again. The Toffees have, in fact, conceded the most home goals in the league this season - and, more than two years into the job, the defence is a deficiency which Roberto Martinez has never looked like dealing with.

12 SOUTHAMPTON (P19 W6 D6 L7 F26 A23 Pts 24)
Premier League: DLDWDLWWDDWWLLDLLWL
FA Cup: 3R v Crystal Palace (H) on 9 January at 3pm
League Cup: lost 1-6 v Liverpool (H) in QF
Europe: lost 1-2 on agg v Midtjylland (1-1h, 0-1a) in qualifying playoff round
Manager: Ronald Koeman (since June 2014) Top scorer: Graziano Pelle (7)
Ronald Koeman's second season at Southampton always looked like being tougher than his first after yet more high profile summer departures and, considering all of their efforts last year, a disappointingly early exit from Europe. There was also a slow start in the league with just one win in the first six games - however, this was alleviated by a run of 14 points out of 18 in which Graziano Pelle once again found his best form. Another poor run in the run-up to Christmas has followed - but a 4-0 thrashing of leaders Arsenal on Boxing Day suggests that, while this campaign is nowhere near as spectacular as the last overall, the Saints are simply far too good to be involved in the worst of the relegation scrap.  

13 WEST BROMWICH ALBION (P19 W6 D5 L8 F18 A24 Pts 23)
Premier League: LDLWDWLLWWLLWDDDLLW
FA Cup: 3R v Bristol City (H) on 9 January at 3pm
League Cup: lost 0-3 v Norwich City (A) in third round
Manager: Tony Pulis (since January 2015) Top scorer: Saido Berahino, James Morrison, Salomon Rondon (3)
Darren Fletcher's late header gave West Bromwich Albion a 1-0 win at the Hawthorns over Newcastle United on Monday, their sixth league success of the season and their fifth by that same scoreline, a divisional record shared equally with Liverpool. The victory spoke volumes about the Baggies under Tony Pulis who only arrived in January - but who has already shaped this team to be his. Yes, there is not always room in the first XI for flair players like Saido Berahino and Salomon Rondon and, consequently, it is not always too pretty to watch. So far, though, it has been effective - and, even though the Midlanders are still only six points above the bottom three, Pulis now looks well set to extend his record of having never been relegated as a manager to 24 years. 

14 CHELSEA (P19 W5 D5 L9 F23 A29 Pts 20)
Premier League: DLWLLWDLWLLLWDLLWDD
FA Cup: 3R v Scunthorpe United (H) on 10 January at 2pm
League Cup: lost 4-5 on pens (after 1-1 aet) v Stoke City (A) in fourth round
Europe: UCL Last 16 v Paris Saint-Germain (A) on 16 February/(H) on 9 March
Interim manager: Guus Hiddink (since December 2015) Top scorer: Willian (7)
Rather than just a few lines on a blog, a whole book could probably be written about how Jose Mourinho's seemingly imperious champions of last season have fallen apart in this campaign. From the moment Mourinho wrongly complained about his medical staff entering the field to treat stricken Eden Hazard in the season opener against Swansea City, hardly anything has gone right. Mourinho clearly fell out with some of his senior players - most notably the likes of Diego Costa and Hazard - and he always looked on uncertain ground once he suggested he had been betrayed by members of squad. 
A ninth league defeat of the season to then-leaders Leicester City just over two weeks ago effectively cut off any slim hopes of a top four place - and it was ultimately no surprise to see owner Roman Abramovich sack the Portuguese coach and bring in Guus Hiddink for a second brief spell. Even accounting for the inconsistency of the teams above them, though, it seems unlikely the Blues will be anything other than midtable this time around.

15 NORWICH CITY (P19 W5 D5 L9 F22 A32 Pts 20)
Premier League: LWDLWDDLLLLWLDLDWLW
FA Cup: 3R v Manchester City (H) on 9 January at 3pm
League Cup: lost 3-4 on pens (after 1-1 aet) v Everton (A) in fourth round
Manager: Alex Neil (since January 2015) Top scorer: Nathan Redmond (4)
Norwich City are gradually getting to grips with life in the top flight, and their 2-0 win over Aston Villa on Monday was enough to keep the Canaries unbeaten at Carrow Road since October. Importantly, it also took them three points clear of the relegation zone. Actually, Alex Neil's men have so far stayed out of bottom three all season - but, prior to a momentous win at Old Trafford and that win against doomed Villa, they had only tasted victory once in 11 previous league games. Still yet to enjoy consecutive league victories all season, Neil knows there is much work to be done to make sure Norwich avoid a repeat of their 2014 relegation. 

16 AFC BOURNEMOUTH (P19 W5 D5 L9 F22 A34 Pts 20) 
Premier League: LLWDLWLDLLLLDDWWWDL
FA Cup: 3R v Birmingham City (A) on 9 January at 3pm
League Cup: lost 0-1 v Liverpool (A) in fourth round
Manager: Eddie Howe (since October 2012) Top scorer: Junior Stanislas, Callum Wilson (5)
Three successive wins in December - against Chelsea, Manchester United and West Bromwich Albion - have helped Bournemouth recover their position outside of the bottom three having briefly dropped into the relegation zone on the back of just three points from the previous 24. That disappointing streak came amid in an injury crisis which seemed to crush the Cherries' confidence after what had been reasonable start. But, now having regained their self-belief, Eddie Howe's men can approach the New Year with a cautious optimism that the Premier League big boys might just be getting welcomed back down to Dean Court next season too.

17 SWANSEA CITY (P19 W4 D7 L8 F16 A24 Pts 19)
Premier League: DWDWLDLDLWLLDLLLDWD
FA Cup: 3R v Oxford United (A) on 10 January at midday
League Cup: lost 0-1 v Hull City (A) in third round
Caretaker manager: Alan Curtis (since December 2015) Top scorer: Andre Ayew (6)
With no end yet in sight in the search for a new permanent manager, Swansea City are the side providing the bottom three with the greatest hope of an escape from their predicament. True, results under Garry Monk had deteriorated to such an extent that his departure ended up being no great surprise - and it is equally true that caretaker boss Alan Curtis has subsequently overseen a modest improvement over the Christmas period. It remains the case, though, that the Swans are still not scoring enough goals to drag themselves properly away from the dogfight. And so, the lack of a stable presence in the dugout needs to be sorted sharpish to allow a freshening up of the squad in the January sales, most desperately up front.

18 NEWCASTLE UNITED (P19 W4 D5 L10 F19 A34 Pts 17)
Premier League: DLDLLLDLWLDWLLWWDLL
FA Cup: 3R v Watford (A) on 9 January at 3pm
League Cup: lost 0-2 v Sheffield Wednesday (H) in third round
Manager: Steve McClaren (since June 2015) Top scorer: Georginio Wijnaldum (7)
Another nightmare season on Tyneside sees Newcastle United occupying a bottom three place at the halfway stage for the first time since 1988, a campaign which ended in relegation. Slow-starters again this time, the Magpies finally got off the mark at the ninth attempt - though did it in style as Gini Wijnaldum hit four in a 6-2 thrashing of Norwich City. McClaren's men, however, were brought back down to earth on the following weekend after a sixth consecutive derby defeat to Sunderland. And, since then, Newcastle have, as usual, delivered both the sublime - with wins against Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur - and the ridiculous in heavy defeats to Leicester City and Crystal Palace. Ultimately, though, it is the collection of just one point from nine available at Christmas which has kept the black-and-whites deep in trouble as a lack of goals, an unbalanced midfield, and a slow defence all take their toll.
 
19 SUNDERLAND (P18 W3 D3 L12 F19 A37 Pts 12)
Premier League: LLDDLLLDLWLLWWLLLLL
FA Cup: 3R v Arsenal (A) on 9 January at 3pm
League Cup: lost 1-4 v Manchester City (H) in third round
Manager: Sam Allardyce (since October 2015) Top scorer: Jermain Defoe (7)
Except for their customary derby win over neighbours Newcastle United - and one solitary other good week in November against Crystal Palace and Stoke City - there has been little cheer again this season so far in Sunderland. The Wearsiders find themselves rooted in a fourth successive relegation fight and heading into 2016 on the back of five consecutive defeats with the brief bounce from the appointment of Sam Allardyce having already rather faded. True, the fixtures over the festive period have been hellish - and Aston Villa at home looks as if it might just be a New Year's treat - but, in lying more than two wins adrift of safety, the Black Cats' continued top-flight survival is once again under massive threat.

20 ASTON VILLA (P19 W1 D5 L13 F15 A34 Pts 8)
Premier League: WLLDLLLLLLLDLLDLDDL
FA Cup: 3R v Wycombe Wanderers (A) on 9 January at 12.45pm
League Cup: lost 1-2 v Southampton (A) in fourth round
Manager: Remi Garde (since November 2015) Top scorer: Scott Sinclair (6)
For desperate Aston Villa, the warning signs were there. Tim Sherwood may have helped the second city club stave off the drop last season - but, having replaced Christian Benteke and Fabian Delph with a raft of unproven players in the summer, another struggle always looked likely. It was surely never meant to be as bad as this, though - Villa head into the New Year still in a single figures, and indeed still three points off the lowest points record held by Derby County. New manager Remi Garde may have seen his side graft out a few draws recently but pride is pretty much all that is left to play for.

• All statistics correct at publishing time. Top scorer stats refer to all competitions.