As the English Premier League begins the countdown to the busy Christmas schedule, Owngoalnigeria.com bring to you a review of how Nigerian players performed in Match Day 16 games.

Sunderland 0-1 Chelsea

Victor Anichebe missed out on this tie with a suspected knock for Sunderland, who also had Nigerian wonderkid Josh Maja on the bench for the entire duration of the game, meanwhile Victor Moses was once again among the top performers for Chelsea, even though he picked up a booking and got substituted in time added on.

Middlesbrough 0-3 Liverpool

Former Nigeria U-17 trainee Ovie Ejaria added to his first team appearances for Liverpool this season, playing in the three minutes of their win over Middlesbrough which takes them back to second position, level on points with Arsenal but ahead on goal difference

Manchester City 2-0 Watford

Kelechi Iheanacho was an unused substitute in Man City’s 2-0 win over Watford with the 20 year old axed after an insipid display against Leicester City over the weekend.

Widely tipped as the replacement for the suspended Sergio Kun Aguero, he failed to live up to expectations in their 2-4 loss to Leicester City and watched from the bench as goals from Pablo Zabaleta and David Silva game them a 2-0 win.

For Watford Odion Ighalo was reinstated into the starting line up by coach Walter Mazzari but fired blanks, including a clear chance to draw his side level while Isacc Success returned back to playing coming on after an hour, a sign of the fact that he has shaken off the injury that has kept him away for two months.

21 year old Nigerian forward Fred Friday ended a run of 18 games without a goal for Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, netting with less than three minutes left to play in their 2-0 Cup win over ASWH.

Signed in the summer from Lillestrom of Norway he has struggled in front of goal since scoring his first goal for the team in their 3-0 win over Serbian side Vojvodina in the Europa League on the 18th of August.

He will be hoping that the goal bring about a change of fortune for him with the first team, where he has struggled in front of goal particulary in the league.

After 11 games in the league he is still searching for his first league goal, which is a surprise to many due to how his goal scoring abilities in Norway prior to his transfer to the Dutch side.

His poor form in front of goal made the club to play him in games for the B team,where he showed his prowess with four goals in three games including a brace in their 5-1 thrashing of TEC.

Kingsley Madu rounded up scoring for Belgian side Zulte Waregem to help them beat St. Truiden 2-0 in the Beker Van Belgie populary called the Belgian Cup.

Madu killed off any hope of a late comeback from the visitors when he scored on the dot of full time, leaving St. Truiden with no chance of a comeback.

The former AS Trencin man who celebrated his birthday at the start of the week dribbled his way past three defenders before slipping the ball under the goalkepper.

He has found games hard to come by in the league even though coach Francky Drury publicly confessed his likeness for the 21 year old during a TV show, while discussing his team shock rise to the top of the league in Belgium.

So far he has played just one league game, where he lasted just four minutes but he has played in their two games in the Cup.

Highly respected German journalist Roland Mark says Germany won’t mind losing Kelvin Akpoguma to Nigeria, but will do everything to stop little known Felix Uduokhai from playing for Nigeria.

Mark insist that Akpoguma is highly respected and has abilities which are not in doubt, but Uduokhai has grown in leaps and bounds since making the step up to the main team of 1860 Munich.

Comfortable as a centre back or left full back, the 19 year old is viewed as one of the finest young defenders in Germany, and was reportedly on the wish list of Bayern Munich last summer.

So far he has made four appearances for 1860 Munich with a goal to his name, a sign of how much of an influence he is in the team, a fine run of form which earned him a call up to the German U18 team.

” Akpoguma is a talented defender no doubt but Uduokhai is the real deal, quick, good in the air and at the age of 19, he is already a regular for 1860 Munich” ,Mark told Owngoalnigeria.com.

” Uduokhai is the one talent Germany won’t want to lose at the moment not Akoguma. I read he is on the watch list of the Nigerian coach, it would be a shame if he plays for Nigeria instead of Germany”.

Respected Dutch journalist Jermain Leitbig has warned the country’s football authority not to allow the talented duo of Kingsley Ehizibue and Tyrone Ebuehi to play for Nigeria, ahead of the Netherlands.

The duo who are eligible to play for Nigeria and the Netherlands have been approached by Nigeria to switch allegiance, and be a part of manager Gernot Rohr rebuilding of the Super Eagles.

While 21 year old Ehizibue who plays for PEC Zwolle and is eligible to represent Germany as well, has been capped by the Dutch at youth level, Ebuehi who plays for ADO Den Haag is yet to capped by either nations.

Jermain who writes online for Dutch Goal says losing the players to other nations, will be disservice to the system that produced them, and past experience should make them frustrate Nigeria’s effort to lure the duo.

” It’s a no brainer. You can’t allow players educated in the system go like that. It will be fool hardy to do so. We have lost some young players to other nations in the past, who ended up becoming super stars. We need to stop it” He told Owngoalnigeria.com.

” The FA should in their capacity hold talks with the duo and assure them of their plans for them. Even if the players refuse to wait, let it be known that they tried”.