Premier League: 10 things to watch out for this weekend

Everton‘s Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Chelsea’s Mykhailo Mudryk and Aston Villa’s Nicolò Zaniolo.Compound: Protective design” src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Dog..WpoQSGEyLtifRJmzw–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU3Ng–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/theguardian_763/bab07fb9b2588f143a7151 9a9ef2a077″ data -src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Dog..WpoQSGEyLtifRJmzw–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU3Ng–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/theguardian_763/bab07fb9b2588f143a71519 a9ef2a077″/ >

How can profit be made from the back three experiment?

Eddie Howe was radicalized after Newcastle lost the FA Cup quarter-final at Manchester City earlier this month, sending them into a back three. For a manager who plays with a back four, this represented quite a departure, but it might suit Newcastle’s staff to retain him; especially against West Ham at St James’ Park this Saturday. Given that Sven Botman will be sidelined for nine months after anterior cruciate ligament surgery (and in hindsight the Dutch defender should have undergone surgery when he first damaged his knee in September) the best back three is surely Jamaal Lascelles, Fabian Schär and Dan It will definitely be a burn. Kieran Trippier or Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall if available. Hall has been a disappointment following his summer loan move from Chelsea, but the left-back position could finally see him show why many believe he is an England player. The 3-5-2 could take Newcastle into Europa League contention next season as Schär showed off his ball skills in the sweep. Louise Taylor

Everton’s desperate need for firepower

After 11 games without a win in the league, things are looking bleak for Everton, especially with the threat of another potential point drop. The good news is that they beat Bournemouth 3-0 this season, their first home win after four consecutive defeats. It was the result Sean Dyche needed and helped spark a run of seven wins in 10 games. What the manager will do for something similar this time. The players know they can beat their opponents, but their main problem is the lack of a goal threat. They have scored just seven goals in their last 11 games and Dominic Calvert-Lewin has not been able to beat the goalkeeper since late October; His rival, Beto, in the lone striker role, scored two goals in the league throughout the season. One of their forwards will need to find form quickly if they want to get back to winning ways. Otherwise, the last two months in the Premier League could be gloomy. Won’t be won

The story continues

Mudryk gives Chelsea more lead

Mykhailo Mudryk had a big week. The winger must be excited after scoring the goal that sent Ukraine to Euro 2024. It was a big moment for Mudryk, who showed the talent that convinced Chelsea to sign him last year. He remains crude and inconsistent, but his goal in Chelsea’s last game 3-2 win over Newcastle was also special. Newcastle’s defense was cut short by Mudryk, who has flourished under Mauricio Pochettino. The Argentine will be hoping the youngster can continue his good form when Burnley visit Stamford Bridge. Jacob Steinberg

The forest must find its resilience… and quickly

You may have noticed that Nottingham Forest were penalized with four points by the Premier League for breaching profit and sustainability rules. Meanwhile, they sit 18th, desperately need a win and could use the perceived unfairness to start the race. Nuno Espírito Santo has led his team to one win in their last nine league games, but despite the results being against them, inside the club they feel he has done a good job. Six of the seven league defeats since the Portuguese took over at the end of December have been by a single goal, showing the subtle differences. The absence of main goal threat Taiwo Awoniyi, who has been sidelined for weeks, makes the situation even worse. Forest need to control what they can do on the pitch; Their next three home games are against Crystal Palace, followed by Fulham and Wolves, giving them the chance to claim maximum points, aided by a tumultuous City Ground. WU

Blades’ desperate attempt to escape the deep end

Fulham plan to open a rooftop swimming pool reserved for VIP match-goers as the crown jewel of their new Riverside Stand at Craven Cottage, but it looks almost certain that Sheffield United will take a less hospitable dip in Championship waters. Chris Wilder’s side are entertaining Marco Silva’s West Londoners despite having a game in hand at a time when they are bottom of the Premier League, eight points behind fourth-bottom Luton. Wilder says he “still believes” the Blades can survive, but admits the players “have to show desire”. Somewhat disturbingly, United’s manager added: “If we continue like we have in our last four or five home games we have no chance. We need to tighten up and that’s something the staff are addressing.” Wilder also admitted Bramall Lane regulars were “disappointed” and needed to be given “something to shout about”. It’s safe to assume he wasn’t talking about a sparkling pool. L.T.

Dragusin needs to step up for Spurs

There was little to remember fondly about Tottenham’s last game, a 3-0 defeat to Fulham. They were extremely incompetent and superior. One of the problems was the absence of Micky van de Ven, who was out of action due to a hamstring injury. The Dutch defender was away from the field for two months at the beginning of the season due to a similar problem, but Ange Postecoglou emphasized that the issue was less serious this time but that caution was needed. Should Van de Ven fail to recover in time, this could mean a second start for January signing Radu Dragusin, who learned of Premier League life on his debut at Craven Cottage. The Romanian centre-back is only 22 and has plenty of time to develop, but will be looking to show why Spurs invested around £27 million in him. Luton’s physical forward line could make the 90 minutes more problematic for the new player; It will be up to him to prove his worth. WU

Crucial moment for Zaniolo’s Villa ambitions

Nicolò Zaniolo saved Villa in his last game at West Ham but whether he can do the same for his Premier League career over the next two months is open to question. The Italian has struggled to make a significant impression since joining on loan from Galatasaray and although Villa have the option of making the move permanent, this seems unlikely. The striker last started a Premier League game on December 3 and was substituted at half-time against Bournemouth. He clearly hasn’t gained Unai Emery’s full trust, but the draw at West Ham and two more international appearances in Italy could give him some momentum. Even if he doesn’t deserve to start on Saturday, he showed that he can make a difference off the bench. He needs to prove the doubters wrong if he wants to find a good move in the summer. WU

Ten Hag tries to avoid another sting of the tail

Erik ten Hag may still be having nightmares about last season’s 4-0 defeat against Brentford. It was an indication of how much work Manchester United has to do to make their team competitive again. Making impressively light work of an expensively assembled team with a new manager to impress, the Bees were outclassed and outplayed. Nineteen months have passed and little has changed at United; There’s still plenty of room for improvement and if anything, they’ve gone backwards this season, finishing in the top four with a final 10 games looking like a long shot. But what Ten Hag can do is show that this is no longer the underdog that Thomas Frank’s team taught about. Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool have all won at Brentford this season and if United are to be in this category once again they need a win to show progress is being made. WU

Anfield tryouts for De Zerbi?

Whisper it, but Jürgen Klopp is leaving Liverpool at the end of the season and they need a replacement. One of the names linked with the Anfield hot seat is Roberto De Zerbi, who brought his vibrant brand of football to Merseyside on Sunday. The Italian footballer has a solid credential, but the question is whether he can step into a club competing for silver medals. Liverpool’s new sporting director, Richard Hughes, once expressed his views by recommending De Zerbi take charge of former club Bournemouth. It might help that Hughes speaks Italian and is very knowledgeable about European football. One thing that could help De Zerbi is that he has Adam Lallana on the coaching staff and James Milner is also around, even though the midfielder is still playing. There will be an audition for De Zerbi to some extent on Sunday, and if he does end up at Anfield permanently, fitting Milner and Lallana into the boot room could aid the transition. WU

A heavy and potentially decisive showdown

The blockbuster matches keep coming in this three-way title challenge, so expect riveting entertainment as Arsenal hope to defeat Manchester City and open a four-point gap over the champions with just 27 points left to fight for. Pep Guardiola will, of course, use the Catalan selection to condemn an ​​international break that saw key figures Kyle Walker and John Stones return as injury concerns. There is also the issue that the three-time winners and three-peat champions have yet to be consistently excellent this season. Can they finally beat Arsenal, or will Mikel Arteta be plotting a landmark victory at the final whistle that could (and still only) signal a shift in power from east Manchester to north London? Jamie Jackson