10 things to watch out for this weekend

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Johnson plans to start the season quickly

There is often fear of the return of an old favorite, but Brennan Johnson will be welcomed with open arms at Nottingham Forest, although he hopes to leave as the pantomime villain. The Wales international has become an integral part of Forest’s rise as he progressed through the ranks at the City Ground and was a key reason why they remained at the top last season. This form meant it was inevitable that he would leave during the summer, especially as the money on offer was sorely needed. With all due respect to Forest, Tottenham is a big step for Johnson and he has taken the time to adapt to his new surroundings and the management of Ange Postecoglou. The pressure on Tottenham’s forwards has increased in recent weeks following James Maddison’s injury, but they bounced back against Newcastle after four defeats in five games. Johnson has one goal and two assists in his short career at Tottenham but a return to familiar surroundings could get his season off to a flying start. Won’t be won

Howe must stop the rot

“Trust is a very fragile thing,” said a thoughtful Eddie Howe after Newcastle crashed out of Europe against Milan on Wednesday night. Remarkably, his Champions League anthem faded away before he turned his attention to Fulham’s free-scoring visit to Tyneside on Saturday. “We need to make our Premier League form as strong as possible,” he continued. “I don’t want to have a hangover against Fulham. The pain we feel now should be motivation for tomorrow.” After two consecutive Premier League defeats by seven goals at Everton and Tottenham, it is imperative that Howe’s injury-plagued players renew their bid to finish in the top four, but the high-intensity, high-tempo, high-pressure game favored by the home manager is the best way to take three points. Whether it’s the best way is still debatable, especially after failing to transition against a smart, counter-attacking Milan. Is it time for a plan B? Louise Taylor

The story continues

Arsenal hope for quick revenge

Last season’s 3-0 home defeat to Brighton ended Arsenal’s title challenge and cemented Roberto De Zerbi’s reputation as a master of the counter-press. At that point in May, Arsenal were exhausted by their efforts for the season, while Brighton looked brand new. Come this Sunday, both clubs will be looking worn-out. Brighton’s energy levels have been dampened by the Europa League midweek schedule, injuries and the sale of players such as Levi Colwill, Alexis Mac Allister and Moisés Caicedo. De Zerbi’s once revolutionary tactics were also criticized by analysts. How Arsenal respond to Saturday’s defeat at Aston Villa makes it a crucial match for Mikel Arteta, who finds himself outplayed by his predecessor Unai Emery and has warned his side were denied a number of referee decisions and finished poorly. In what has been an open title race so far, Arsenal’s response to mistakes will be key to being back in the hunt in May. John Brewin

Bring the little violins for Pochettino

Following Chelsea’s defeat at Everton, Mauricio Pochettino’s demands for further transfers were inevitably met with ridicule. The Argentinian’s first task is to improve the expensively assembled squad he already has. Chelsea host Sheffield United on Saturday and need to win. To achieve this, Pochettino needs his defenders to be strong and cut out mistakes, while Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo need to play like £100m midfielders. He needs his wingers to get back and produce the end product. Of course, Chelsea do not have a strong striker. Nicolas Jackson is raw and Armando Broja struggled against Everton but both should be good enough to penetrate Sheffield United’s defence. The time for excuses is over. Jacob Steinberg

City hopes for easy send-off for Saudis

This final domestic appointment before the European champions travel to Saudi Arabia for the Club World Cup will offer the latest clue as to whether Manchester City are definitely over their recent spell of going winless in four Premier League games. That stretch ended with Sunday’s win over Luton, but more evidence is needed to get a clearer picture of where Guardiola stands at this point. Crystal Palace have only won one game out of nine, so it would be a shock if City didn’t. Jamie Jackson

Everton reserves must seize the moment

Sean Dyche can return to Turf Moor with confidence, making his first visit since being sacked by Burnley in April 2022. Everton have managed to climb out of the relegation zone thanks to three impressive wins in a row, each with a clean sheet. and brutal work rate. This match, played against relegation rivals under Dyche’s former club, Vincent Kompany, brings with it new complications. Jarrad Branthwaite and Idrissa Gueye were instrumental in Everton’s recovery; The young defender certainly caught Gareth Southgate’s eye when the England manager attended Sunday’s defeat to Chelsea. Both are suspended against Burnley, who picked up their fifth yellow cards of the season in a 2-0 win. Amadou Onana is a direct replacement for Gueye in midfield, while Dyche’s alternatives to Branthwaite are former Burnley defender Michael Keane, who is out with an ankle injury, or the out-of-favour Ben Godfrey. Whoever he chooses must make his moments count in a crucial game at the foot of the table. Andy Hunter

Versatile Ghoddos is a valuable asset

It’s been a funny few months for Saman Ghoddos. The Iran international thought his three-year term at Brentford was over after it was announced that he would leave the club on a free transfer in May. But at the end of August the winger returned to West London, signing a one-year contract at the Gtech Community Stadium. He even won October’s goal of the month competition with his strike against Burnley. What Ghoddos didn’t expect was to become a starting fullback. An attack-minded player, he has featured on both sides of the defense in the last four Premier League matches and will be hoping to make a fifth consecutive start against Villa. Versatility is important in the modern game and Ghoddos has proven to be a useful asset for Thomas Frank. That could earn him another season at Brentford. Kyou

Visitors risk further Anfield pain

Manchester United’s decline is of course their fault, but Liverpool have gained greater satisfaction by supporting their great rivals in recent years. From signaling the end of José Mourinho’s reign to exposing Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s limitations at Old Trafford, Jürgen Klopp’s side have often turned the tide at United and have been presented with another opportunity at Anfield. Erik ten Hag’s visitors are reeling from both a dismal early exit from European competition on Tuesday (a feat in the current format) and last season’s historic 7-0 defeat against Liverpool, and whether they have the quality, mentality or organization to respond in that way. They will suffer because of it. It is doubtful whether it is necessary on Sunday. It seems ridiculous in hindsight, but United went to Anfield last season on a high, having won the Carabao Cup the previous weekend while Liverpool faltered. Klopp has since revived his club’s championship credentials in one summer. United continue to pull away. AH

Foley shoots for the moon

This week Bill Foley celebrated his 79th birthday and his first year in charge of Bournemouth. The American quickly began to shape the Cherries’ future upon his arrival, but there is a bigger picture at play, well beyond a renovation of the stadium, the recruitment of Andoni Iraola, investment in the squad and plans for a new 18,500-capacity ground. Hibernian is set to become the latest addition to its squad after being given the green light to form an A-League club in Auckland. Foley, who also owns Ligue 1 side Lorient, insists the multi-club model mastered by City Football Group is something that could bring success on the south coast. “If we can get a group of teams together, we can develop a system to move players up and down, and then we’ll be punching above our weight,” Foley said. Ben Fisher

Do West Ham have a plan B?

Can David Moyes rely on the bench? West Ham’s starting XI is stable and they sit comfortably in ninth place despite last weekend’s trouble at Fulham. But their approach is predictable and has problems if Moyes wants to shake things up. Their reserves are not good enough. Spanish midfielder Pablo Fornals has been in decline since the start of last season. West Ham want to sell winger Saïd Benrahma in January. Danny Ings, a poor signing from Aston Villa, contributes little to the attack as a starter or impact substitute. Young forward Divin Mubama didn’t have much of a chance. So what will Moyes do if West Ham struggle to get a win against Wolves on Sunday? He did not make a substitution until the 89th minute in his team’s last match, which drew 1-1 with Crystal Palace. J.S.