Premier League: 10 issues to look out for this weekend | Soccer

Daniel Farke is known to have needed a brand new goalkeeper through the January switch window however the Leeds board did not oblige. May that call in the end price the membership their Premier League standing? Will probably be attention-grabbing to see whether or not Farke recollects the just lately dropped former Lyon goalkeeper, Lucas Perri, or retains religion with Karl Darlow towards Nottingham Forest at Elland Street on Friday night time. Darlow, previously second alternative at Newcastle, struggled with crosses when Arsenal gained 4-0 in West Yorkshire final Saturday and should strategy a quintessential relegation six-pointer towards Forest with dented confidence. What about Illan Meslier? Beforehand a star below Marcelo Bielsa, a keeper as soon as hyped as France’s future No 1 has been demoted to 3rd alternative and has been discussing a possible transfer to Besiktas earlier than Friday’s switch deadline in Turkey. Talks solely started after Leeds rejected a bid for Perri from Besiktas final week. Time will inform if that was that the appropriate resolution. Louise Taylor

Leeds v Nottingham Forest, Friday 8pm (all instances GMT)

Manchester United are unbeaten in three video games below Michael Carrick and Tottenham are unbeaten in 4 below Thomas Frank. Whereas Carrick has overseen three victories, Spurs have two Premier League attracts alongside Champions League wins. After Sunday’s last-gasp 3-2 win towards Fulham at Previous Trafford, Carrick was requested if his Midas contact might proceed for his remaining 14 Premier League matches. Within the interim supervisor’s calm means he smiled and stated, in essence, there aren’t any ensures. However think about a reinvigorated and re-engaged house crowd and even a draw for Spurs seems to be like a troublesome ask. Jamie Jackson

Manchester United v Tottenham, Saturday 12.30pm

The euphoria after Arsenal’s victory over Chelsea that booked their place at Wembley in subsequent month’s Carabao Cup ultimate confirmed how determined their supporters are for achievement, and Mikel Arteta felt they deserved reward for sticking along with his facet throughout a nervous second half on the Emirates. “They introduced a lot power and perception to the staff in several moments,” he stated. “It wasn’t straightforward as a result of it was a late kick-off, windy, wet, chilly and so they responded. The power was excellent from the start. I sensed it was totally different and they’re on board.” Arsenal’s gamers will want the followers once more after they face Sunderland on Saturday having skilled the facility of a passionate house crowd in November’s 2-2 draw on the Stadium of Mild. Régis Le Bris’s facet are the one Premier League staff nonetheless unbeaten at house this season and stay a risk, even when they’ve gained solely twice on the highway. Ed Aarons

Arsenal v Sunderland, Saturday 3pm

Given they sit only a level behind Manchester Metropolis, Aston Villa can’t be thought-about out of the title race. However having misplaced two of their final three league video games, at house to Everton and 10-man Brentford, they’re now trying down not up, with the golf equipment under them – Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool – all enhancing. When off form and below stress, there are lots of fixtures preferable to Bournemouth away: Andoni Iraola’s males are, er, “in second” and can ask looking out bodily questions of gamers who’ve appeared drained in current weeks. Of the edges within the high seven, Villa have scored the fewest objectives, so it was no shock they used the switch window to usher in two attackers. With the hamstrung Ollie Watkins solely a perhaps for Saturday’s sport, they’ll be hoping Tammy Abraham and the returning loanee Leon Bailey can rapidly combine into Unai Emery’s system, sparking the required attacking enchancment. Daniel Harris

Bournemouth v Aston Villa, Saturday 3pm

When you had advised Scott Parker that, come the beginning of February, Burnley would nonetheless be concerned within the relegation battle, he would most likely have accepted that. The issue, although, is that his facet are nearly as good as down and their participation within the battle is due to their upcoming opponents: West Ham on Saturday, then Crystal Palace on Wednesday night time. Initially of the yr, West Ham additionally appeared doomed, however then they appointed Paco Jémez as first-team coach and the development was on the spot, spectacular wins over Spurs and Sunderland adopted by stoppage-time heartbreak at Chelsea. Jémez made his title turning Rayo Vallecano into an attacking pressure however, at West Ham, his principal affect has been defensive, coaxing improved performances from people and the back-four unit as an entire. If they’ll maintain that progress, given their forwards – Jarrod Bowen, Taty Castellanos and Crysencio Summerville – are in respectable type, they may anticipate to take three factors from a match they need to certainly win in an effort to keep up. Daniel Harris

Burnley v West Ham, Saturday 3pm

Harry Wilson is without doubt one of the most improved gamers within the high flight this season. He has all the time been helpful for Fulham, however has been a squad participant for a lot of his time at Craven Cottage. The Wales winger typically made an impression from the bench, chipping in with essential objectives. Now, although, Wilson is within the working to make the staff of the season. He has eight objectives in all competitions for Fulham and has scored in every of his previous 4 house video games. Everton will probably be retaining an in depth eye on Wilson, having tried to signal him through the winter switch window. Wilson, out of contract on the finish of the season, will probably be hoping to impress towards one in every of his many admirers. Jacob Steinberg

Fulham v Everton, Saturday 3pm

Liam Rosenior is the youngest of seven British managers within the Premier League – and but regardless of establishing a high-quality fame as a coach, there may be an obvious thirst to dismiss his credentials at each alternative. He has seen the net comparisons to Will from the Inbetweeners and David Brent. His techniques have been extensively denounced after Chelsea have been knocked out of the Carabao Cup at Arsenal on Tuesday. Some, presumably, could have even taken delight within the 41-year-old’s clunky contact on the Emirates Stadium going viral. It’s not the primary time an English coach has been derided and is unlikely to be the final. This week Rosenior was requested about dealing with one other British coach in Wolves’s Rob Edwards, flying within the face of that age-old query about homegrown managers getting alternatives. However after they get them, why is there a desperation to tug them down? Ben Fisher

Wolves v Chelsea, Saturday 3pm

Given {that a} fatigued Newcastle have gained solely one in every of their previous seven video games in all competitions and are contemporary from Carabao Cup semi-final defeat by Manchester Metropolis, they may do with undoing Brentford. Not that it’s going to essentially be straightforward for Eddie Howe’s staff. Recollections of their 3-1 loss to Keith Andrews’s facet in west London in November stay contemporary on Tyneside, the place house supporters can solely hope that Yoane Wissa decides to remind his former membership exactly what they’ve misplaced. The house followers are more likely to relish jeering Jordan Henderson however the former Sunderland midfielder might but take pleasure in himself in a division the place Newcastle will once more be with out Joelinton, and presumably Bruno Guimarães and Lewis Miley too. A lot might hinge on Sandro Tonali’s central midfield efficiency, whereas the hitherto underachieving winger Anthony Elanga will hope to construct on a promising cameo towards Metropolis. With tough journeys to Tottenham, Aston Villa, Qarabag and Metropolis, once more, arising, Howe wants that pair to be at their finest. LT

Newcastle v Brentford, Saturday 5.30pm

Sunday’s assembly of Brighton (one win in 9 league video games) and Crystal Palace (no wins in 9) doesn’t promise to be a thriller however the “M23 derby” hardly ever is. An terrible 0-0 attract November hinted at each groups’ deficiencies however Fabian Hürzeler will probably be wanting to notch his first win in 4 makes an attempt towards their bitter rivals, after Oliver Glasner did the double over them final season – the primary for Palace since 1932-33. Brighton’s final derby win was a 4-1 thrashing on the Amex in February 2024 that introduced an finish to Roy Hodgson’s second spell at Palace and ushered within the Glasner period at Selhurst Park. Hürzeler has described his Austrian counterpart as a mentor and nonetheless commonly speaks to Glasner on the cellphone. Beating him and Palace of their ultimate showdown on this fixture might start to steer some doubting Brighton followers he’s the appropriate man for the job. EA

Brighton v Crystal Palace, Sunday 2pm

Current proof suggests Liverpool ought to be a distinct proposition on Sunday to the staff Manchester Metropolis encountered on the Etihad in November and Florian Wirtz most definitely will probably be. The potential £116m signing was nonetheless with no Premier League aim or help when the edges final met and ineffectual throughout Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat. He was not alone in that regard. Wirtz’s affect and impression is rising, nonetheless, and an improved understanding between the Germany worldwide and Hugo Ekitiké has contributed to Arne Slot’s facet scoring 10 objectives of their final two house video games. “I believe he didn’t enhance that a lot on the ball as a result of from the beginning he was particular,” the Liverpool head coach stated. “However off the ball I see the largest enchancment. The Premier League is about each.” Had final summer season labored out otherwise, Wirtz might have been lining up for Metropolis towards a Liverpool defence containing Marc Guéhi. The champions want their playmaker to remind Pep Guardiola of what may need been. Andy Hunter

Liverpool v Manchester Metropolis, Sunday 4.30pm