Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend | Premier League

1) Arsenal studying to carry burden on Aubameyang

Arsenal hope Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang can face Manchester United, though the precedence is his mom’s restoration from the sickness that led him to overlook the 2 video games towards Southampton. His teammates devoted their victory on Tuesday night time to him and, inadvertently, his absencetold one thing attention-grabbing. There have been loads of questions on Arsenal’s capability to seek out targets and take factors whereas lacking their captain, whose type has picked up in current weeks after a bleak run, however at St Mary’s they exuded menace and managed three targets by way of totally different scorers. The ascent of Emile Smith Rowe, restoration of Thomas Partey and continued excellence of Bukayo Saka imply they give the impression of being a far smoother, extra cohesive attacking unit than at any time previously yr and it could reduce the burden upon the prolific – however put upon – Aubameyang. His presence can be a fine addition in one other fixture that checks the energy of Arsenal’s current revival, however they’re starting to indicate they will sort out massive assignments with or with out him. NA

2) Reborn Cancelo stepping from Metropolis shadows

The go to of Sheffield United to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday feelspivotal within the title race, after the Blades’ shock win at Outdated Trafford put Manchester Metropolis within the driving seat. Metropolis can transfer 4 factors away from Manchester United earlier than their tea-time recreation at Arsenal kicks off, capping a dramatic turnaroundsince these groups met at Bramall Lane on Halloween, when Kyle Walker’s winner helped carry Metropolis into the highest half. Rúben Dias’ contribution has been immense, however Pep Guardiola has additionally squeezed extra out of his squad. Gamers who had drifted from the first-team image – John Stones, Ilkay Gundogan and Joao Cancelo – have turn out to be important cogs. Cancelo joined in August 2019 however struggled to displace Walker from his most popular right-back slot. Whereas his versatility initially prevented him from holding down a first-team place, he’s now an indispensable auxiliary man, drifting into midfield usually and becoming a member of assaults down both flank. In opposition to West Brom he was arguably Metropolis’s standout performer, organising the primary purpose and scoring the second with a ruthless end. Count on extra of the identical on Sunday. NMc

3) Hammers and Liverpool battle for fourth

Quiz query: when did West Ham final sit above Liverpool within the league desk withhalf of the season performed, as they had been earlier than Jürgen Klopp’s crew’s victory at Tottenham. Reply: 2016. It’s definitely attention-grabbing that the Hammers are doing effectively and the Reds poorly, however let’s not get overexcited. Firstly of that yr West Ham beat Liverpool 2-0 at dwelling, and 5 members of that beginning XI (Cresswell, Ogbonna, Noble, Lanzini, Antonio) might function once more on Sunday. Liverpool in the meantime have as many members of that 2016 West Ham squad of their first-team setup in the mean time as of their very own (one every: Adrián and Firmino). David Moyes is presently getting plaudits for reworking his squad, whereas Liverpool are being criticised for an unwillingness to decisively alter theirs. SB

4) Relegation make or break on the Hawthorns

Sam Allardyce has made little secret of his concern about West Brom’s dwelling type. How do you tighten up a facet that has conceded 22 targets in its final 5 video games on the Hawthorns? Maybe by going through Fulham, whose shyness in entrance of purpose is in peril of creating their survival prospects nearly as sketchy. Fulham might have smashed and grabbed their technique to a late win at Brighton on Wednesday however needed to accept a colorless level that retains seventeenth place nearby. Theylook arduous to beat however they’ve solely scored 4 of their final 9 video games – three of them coming, a contact perversely, towards Liverpool, Spurs and Manchester United – and there may be little signal of a confirmed inside answer except Scott Parker finds a technique to accommodate Aleksandar Mitrovic. West Brom appear the proper opponents for a confidence increase however the stakes are prone to dictate one other cagey affair. One other pasting for Allardyce’s crew would recommend their trigger is nearly unimaginable. NA

5) Newcastle splendid for pepping up Calvert-Lewin

After a two-game successful run was dropped at a shuddering halt at Elland Highway in December, Steve Bruce remarked that for Newcastle, “getting to twenty factors by Christmas can be an achievement”. It was a laughably modest goal, and one they failed to realize. Virtually six weeks on, they’re caught on 19 and getting slowly drawn into the relegation battle. Newcastle’s probabilities of reaching that magic 20-point marker on Saturday seem slim; they haven’t received at Goodison Park since 2011 and can tackle an Everton crew again in top-four rivalry. In current weeks, Bruce’s facet have proved agreeable opponents, so this recreation represents likelihood for Dominic Calvert-Lewin to interrupt his barren league run. After scoring 11 targets in his first 11 matches this season, the ahead has failed to attain within the Premier League since. He will probably be desirous to rediscover that early-season type with England returning to aggressive motion in March. NMc

6) Stats recommend José might wrestle to interchange Jiménez

Willian José stands to make his full debut at Selhurst Park, after a cameo off the bench in Wednesday’s goalless draw at Chelsea, and with Wolves on a run of seven league matches and not using a win (although they’ve overwhelmed Palace within the FA Cup in that point) and struggling to adapt to life with out Raúl Jiménez, an instantaneous impression can be appreciated. The 2 gamers are the identical age and an identical construct, Jiménez being six months older and a centimetre shorter, however different comparisons will not be so even: the Mexican took 114 photographs final season, inserting him twelfth in Europe’s prime 5 leagues (the highest 4 so as: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, Mo Salah) whereas the earlier season he was sixteenth, with 113 (the highest 4 so as: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, Mo Salah). Jiménez is sort of merely a prodigious taker of photographs, an individual by no means gradual to purchase a ticket, whereas in 2019-20 Willian José was joint 131st, with 58, and in 2018-19 he was joint 255th, with 48. Because the begin of final season Jiménez has tried 133 dribbles (José has tried 5), received 44 tackles (seven), tried 1,272 passes (595). José is a fantastic participant, however endurance is prone to be required. SB

7) Tuchel goals to make Kanté the epicentre

Having led Paris Saint-Germain to the Champions League ultimate, Thomas Tuchel is aware of a factor or two about discovering the correct stability in a crew front-loaded with attacking expertise; one thing his Chelsea predecessor, Frank Lampard, struggled with. Halfway by way of the 2019-20 season, the German switched to a double-pivot system at PSG, two holding midfielders making room for a quartet of inventive gamers forward of them. Tuchel has already said his intention to make use of the system at Chelsea to get the perfect out of N’Golo Kanté. “I feel he’s the strongest within the double-six, within the coronary heart of the sport,” Tuchel mentioned. “We will use his vitality, his vary, his capability to recuperate the ball.” Kanté, who might return from a hamstring damage towards Burnley, was pushed additional ahead by Maurizio Sarri to accommodate Jorginho, then returned to the bottom of a midfield three by Lampard. Neither supervisor discovered room for Kanté and Jorginho in holding midfield, however Tuchel may even see issues in another way. NMc

8) Saints and Villans attempt to cease wobbles

Two groups tied collectively in mid-table, tenth and eleventh, stage on factors if not video games performed (Villa have one in hand), meet in a battle of upward-trajectory sides having a wobble: Southampton have received one among their final seven within the league, Villa one among their final 5. Villa have solely used 20 gamers within the league this season, the bottom complete within the Premier League, however Southampton had been solely simply above them till Tuesday, when Jake Vokins and Caleb Watts made their first ever Premier League appearances and Yan Valery his first begin of the marketing campaign within the 3-1 defeat to Arsenal, suggesting an uncommon diploma of churn although Ryan Bertrand ought to return from suspension to interchange Vokins. When the groups final met, Southampton recorded a season’s low for touches, profitable dribbles, crosses, corners, passes tried and passes accomplished. They’d 4 photographs on course, an xG of 0.9, and received 4-3. SB

9) Tielemans and Ndidi maintain key for Rodgers

In a season of dramatic rises and falls within the Premier League desk, Leicester have stayed largely on observe; Brendan Rodgers’ facet have spent each week within the prime six, and now have a foothold within the prime 4. Leeds’ go to on Sunday appears alternative to cement their Champions League ambitions, given the Foxes received 4-1 at Elland Highway in October. That mentioned, each of those groups have extra away wins than at dwelling this season. Leeds’ final 5 away video games have featured two 3-0 losses (one to fourth-tier Crawley within the FA Cup), a 6-2 defeat, a 5-0 win and Tuesday’s hard-fought victory over Newcastle. Leicester had seemed susceptible to inconsistency earlier within the season, however have now misplaced simply as soon as in 10 league video games, a run that has coincided with Wilfred Ndidi’s return to the crew. Leicester are but to lose a league recreation when Ndidi has partnered Youri Tielemans in central midfield. If each can be found on Sunday, the outcome feels predictable. NMc

10) Enjoying effectively not sufficient to avoid wasting Brighton

Provided that they play effectively sufficient in most video games, it’s barely astonishing that Brighton are actually and not using a win in 14 fixtures on the Amex. They’re effectively organised, work the ball properly sufficient and reliably create an opportunity or two – however except that begins translating itself into dwelling factors it’ll depend for nothing. Brighton introduced a document lack of £67.2m this week and can’t afford to slip into the Championship on the again of a collection of respectable close-run issues. Tottenham are hardly the best opponents for a breaking of their hex, though the north London facet may have sad recollections of their most up-to-date go to. That was again in October 2019; an Aaron Connolly-inspired Brighton trounced them 3-0 and Mauricio Pochettino, gone inside six weeks, was left to air futile guarantees that his Spurs crew would bounce again.
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