1) Chelsea have a James-sized hole to fill
It is easy to see why Chelsea have been fascinated about discovering cowl at correct wing-back final summer season. Reece James’s knee injury has given Graham Potter a conundrum to resolve sooner than his team host Manchester United on Saturday. There isn’t any ready-made completely different to the England worldwide. The experiment of using Raheem Sterling as James’s stand-in was swiftly aborted all through Chelsea’s win over Villa final weekend and César Azpilicueta would not have the legs to value up and down the suitable flank in opposition to excessive opposition. Ruben Loftus-Cheek is a likelier candidate. The midfielder did properly as a wing-back for Thomas Tuchel and has stuffed in there for Potter. However Loftus-Cheek is simply not a defender – he had some uncomfortable moments in opposition to Brentford in midweek – and his provide is simply not as incisive as James. United should look to deal with that flank. Jacob Steinberg
2) A crunch fixture for Conte
Following Spurs’ stomping by Manchester United, Antonio Conte was life like. “We need time,” he said. “In solely 10-11 months, you may’t go from ninth place to develop to be title contenders.” But this summer season, Conte’s board gave him the financial backing they denied Mauricio Pochettino, and in such circumstances, one of the best ways his team have been outplayed by type of every respectable opposition they’ve confronted, is unacceptable. The feeling persists that, whereas Ivan Perisic, Yves Bissouma and Richarlison are respectable avid gamers, merely as Djed Spence is an trustworthy prospect, Conte has spent larger than £100m turning a team able to contest the Champions League places nevertheless no additional proper right into a team nonetheless able to contest the Champions League places nevertheless no additional. Add to {{that a}} dreary, irritating vogue and it’s no marvel some followers are beginning to surprise if the game has handed their supervisor by – and points will not get less complicated for him on Sunday when in-form Newcastle go to. Daniel Harris
3) Can Brighton repeat Liverpool trick?
Manchester City’s first defeat of the season obtained right here on Sunday at Anfield, when Mo Salah’s strike gave Liverpool an vital win that makes Brighton’s go to to the Etihad Stadium a contact additional intriguing. Though Erling Haaland being saved off the scoresheet was a rarity, Pep Guardiola’s facet weren’t overwhelmed following the invention of a beforehand unknown secret. Salah’s was a solo breakaway goal from an Alisson long-ball clearance, City caught on the break as they so often are when tasting the near-collector’s merchandise of a loss. Can Brighton replicate this? Do Leandro Trossard and Danny Welbeck, Roberto de Zerbi’s regular attackers, have the tempo to splay City on the counter and the team the guile to engineer openings of this ilk? Or will the land’s preeminent team pummel them as they obtain this many alternative visitors. The odds say certain: the final time City misplaced two league video video games on the bounce was in December 2018 – to Crystal Palace and Leicester. Jamie Jackson
4) Saints’ method one different test for leaders
There are two strategies to take a look at Arsenal’s win in opposition to Leeds final weekend: each they gained on account of they occurred to finish on the suitable facet of football’s notoriously chaotic margins nevertheless appeared like a facet that has run off type, or they gained on account of they scored a terrific goal and are literally assured and doughty adequate to dig in for yet another very good consequence. Sunday’s journey to Southampton may give us an trustworthy steer as to which is so on account of, though the home facet have made a poor start to the season. Two respectable outcomes – a draw with West Ham adopted by a derby triumph at Bournemouth – suggest they’re in larger coronary coronary heart. And should Ralph Hasenhüttl stick alongside together with his hottest 4-4-2 formation, which can set off points for Gabriel and William Saliba, who’re additional used to sharing one centre-forward between two, merely as Ben White and Kieran Tierney or Takehiro Tomiyasu may uncover it extra sturdy to defend wingers participating in on their pure flank, backed up by attacking full-backs. DH
5) Where this Klopp team goes now
It’s been a tricky start to the season for Liverpool, and it’s easy to see why. When Jürgen Klopp’s team was at its peak, its methodology was simple: three bodily monsters ran the opposition off the pitch in midfield, which allowed its full-backs the freedom to make the play from huge areas, which allowed its huge attackers to hunt for targets. This modified when Georginio Wijnaldum was modified by Thiago Alcântara – an outstanding participant nevertheless of a definite profile and likewise often injured – and as age caught up with Jordan Henderson, which implies he could no longer set so ferocious a tempo. Klopp has tried different methods of addressing this topic, every by means of formation and personnel nevertheless, though his avid gamers have compelled two terrific wins throughout the final week, they nonetheless look faraway from traditional. While the possibilities are excessive that, nonetheless they line up on Saturday, they’ll have an extreme quantity of for Forest, there’s not however a means that Klopp has found an everlasting reply. DH
6) New faces wait throughout the wings for Wolves
This season is progressively getting away from Wolves. In the temporary time interval the accountability of steering Wolves out of the relegation zone rests with Steve Davis, the earlier Crewe and Leyton Orient supervisor who will keep in interim value until not lower than the model new 12 months after the club’s failed pursuit of Julen Lopetegui after which Michael Beale. Wolves have gained two of their 11 league video video games and badly need a carry as soon as they host Leicester on Sunday. Adama Traoré opened the scoring at Selhurst Park on Tuesday nevertheless targets keep a extreme concern. At the other end, Davis handed the 20-year-old defender Hugo Bueno his full debut at Crystal Palace and ought to be tempted to freshen points up further. Wolves’ squad is skinny by Premier League necessities nevertheless the midfielders Chem Campbell, who’s eligible for England and Wales, and Connor Ronan, who was a fixture all through pre-season under Bruno Lage, could very effectively be subsequent. Ben Fisher
7) Is it now or certainly not for Benrahma?
It could very effectively be now or certainly not for Saïd Benrahma at West Ham. The winger has struggled to nail down a every day starting spot since changing into a member of them two years previously and the club have been open to offers for him final summer season. The former Brentford participant’s inconsistency had develop to be robust to set to 1 facet. It is commonplace to see an exasperated response from David Moyes after a second of ineffective indulgence from Benrahma and the supervisor is entitled to rely on a superior end product from the Algerian. However, with Maxwel Cornet and Lucas Paquetá every sidelined by way of injury, Benrahma has a possibility to earn an extended run throughout the team sooner than the World Cup. He has largely been an impression participant this season, made an trustworthy one as a substitute in opposition to Liverpool and seems extra more likely to start in opposition to Bournemouth on Monday. West Ham need Benrahma to level out why he worth £30m. JS
8) The heat is popping up on Lampard
Frank Lampard’s functionality to talk football in a pretty, intelligent and insightful method makes glorious sense: he grew up “in and spherical” the game, then wanted to suppose terribly onerous about learn the way to maximise his functionality, whereas participating in under some wise managers. But he has however to translate this expertise to the dugout, and was terribly privileged lucky to get the Chelsea job after failing at Derby, as he was to get the Everton job after failing at Chelsea. Now, after three straight defeats, his team uncover themselves fifteenth throughout the desk having spent roughly £70m this summer season and, whereas most of that was coated by the sale of Richarlison, that has no bearing on Lampard’s functionality to assemble a functioning team – Everton have scored merely eight cases in 11 league video video games. And points may worsen in opposition to a youthful, dynamic Palace who fully illustrate what could also be achieved with astute purchases and coaching. There’s a sturdy chance that, by Saturday evening, the stress on Lampard may have intensified. DH
9) Mitrovic holds key at Elland Road
Marco Silva’s facet are intently relying on a striker who scored eight targets in his first 10 video video games this season – one in every of many afternoon’s most intriguing subplots will revolve spherical how Aleksandar Mitrovic handles the invariably febrile Elland Road setting. He has matured considerably since his Newcastle days nevertheless, hostile and one-eyed as they arrive, the gloriously partisan Leeds crowd are one factor else. Can a participant who used to retaliate on the merest verbal insult protect equilibrium throughout the midst of such an environment? Or may the Leeds supervisor Jesse Marsch advise Mitrovic’s markers to wind him up? Silva had larger brace himself for an eventful return to Yorkshire, the place he so narrowly didn’t preserve Hull throughout the excessive tier in 2017. What price Sunday’s profitable goal being scored by each Mitrovic or his Leeds counterpart, Patrick Bamford? Louise Taylor
10) Villa face one different west London test
The mood music surrounding Aston Villa and Brentford could hardly be additional contrasting. With Steven Gerrard sacked after their miserable defeat to Fulham, his former captain Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa, a former Brentford defender, ought to be on their video video games to mute Ivan Toney on Sunday. All three avid gamers carry England aspirations nevertheless Toney is certainly probably the most in all probability to be included in Gareth Southgate’s squad for Qatar subsequent month. Thomas Frank beforehand said the left-back Rico Henry may also play for England. Brentford head to Villa on the once more of a creditable attract opposition to Chelsea and might fancy their prospects in opposition to the rudderless hosts.
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