No one can say that the Premier League is predictable after the festive period – shock results such as Rovers beating United and Sunderland getting a last gasp goal to record a victory over City meant the title contenders were shaken to a great degree. Not to mention the 3-1 victory at the Bridge for Villa, making it the first time since 2007 United, City and Chelsea had all lost on the same day.

What was then entirely predictable however was the subsequent home loss for Blackburn against Stoke and Villa going down by 2 goals to Swansea. It is a reoccurring theme that when one of the so called ‘lesser sides’ record a victory or even a hard fought draw against one of the title contenders, they seem to then drop points the week after that by all rights they should have easily gained.

Is it the effort that teams have to put in the week before that has over exerted them so much that they then have nothing left for a game in such a short space of time after that, or perhaps it is their inability to raise their game when playing one of the teams around them, even though the points they would gain are exactly the same and possibly even more important.

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No one can deny the boost in morale that teams such as Blackburn get from picking up points against sides such as Liverpool and United, which then makes it even stranger that they follow these results up with a defeat the following game.

Over the periods of the year when not only fixtures but injuries come thick and fast, it is understandable that teams may be able to mentally motivate themselves for matches at say Old Trafford easier than they can for one at home or an away trip to the Reebok.

The fact remains however, three points are still three points, and it is no good pulling off a massive shock at Old Trafford when you go and lose at home the following week – this undoes all the good work done the week before and leaves you in the same situation you were before, albeit with slightly more air time on match of the day because you caused a shocker at Old Trafford. Sadly for Kean and Rovers, this will not keep them in the Premier League.

It is an age old problem, and not just in the Premier League – teams go to the Bernabeu or the San Siro and raise their game far beyond the normal level and the week after simply fail to motivate themselves. Likewise, the so called bigger teams can be accused of switching off when a relegation candidate not a title rival comes to visit, and again this is more than a reasonable explanation for the ‘shock victory.’

Is it right – no certainly not, but it seems to be a reoccurring pattern these days and teams have to both get themselves motivated to play the bigger teams whilst not losing sight of the game next week and just how vital that is.

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