Eight talking points ahead of the Premier League weekend

Eight talking points ahead of the Premier League weekend, including the North London Derby, the thing Man Utd are lacking the most, Liverpool manager’s chance to make history, and more. 

All stats are courtesy of Opta unless stated otherwise.

Arsenal’s midfield crisis

There is no doubting the fact that Arsenal are the top dogs in north London at this current moment. But Mikel Arteta has been dealt a tough hand just as they prepare to face Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Declan Rice is suspended, Mikel Merino broke his shoulder and Martin Odegaard limped his way out of the international break. An entire midfield, wiped out in the space of just over a week.

It leaves the Gunners relying on Jorginho and Thomas Partey, who has been playing poorly for a while now. Normally this would be a good time to drop Kai Havertz a bit deeper and play someone else up front, but with Eddie Nketiah sold and Gabriel Jesus still on the mend, that seems unlikely.

Having dropped points to Brighton in their previous game, it’s imperative they come away with three points here, but can they overcome these setbacks?

Read – Arsenal injury latest as Odegaard update delivered

Spurs home woes against the enemy

The misfortune that has befallen Arsenal hands Tottenham a massive opportunity to tip the balance of the NLD back in their favour, having failed to beat their arch rivals in over two years.

The Gunners have ruled the roost over the shiny new stadium in N17 during that time, winning on each of their last two visits. Spurs had not lost consecutive league games at home to them since 1988, and they will be desperate not to make that three in a row. You have to go back 71 years for the last time that happened.

Arsenal were easily the better team on both of those occasions, illustrating just how far ahead of Ange Postecoglou’s side they are. A positive result here would be a sign of progress at least.

Read – Spurs receive huge boost ahead of Arsenal clash

Man Utd need to turn chances into goals

For the second time in three years, Manchester United have lost two of their opening three games of a campaign. Erik ten Hag could really do with a win here.

Fortunately for him and his players, they are taking on one of the worst teams in the Premier League right now. Southampton, who have scored just one goal and conceded five, are being kept off the bottom of the table by goal difference.

This is an ideal opportunity for the Red Devils to put their finishing slump behind them. They have scored just two goals from 33 shots so far, despite generating 5.2 expected goals (xG).

Some of that would have been racked up when they were 3-0 down to Liverpool and the contest was effectively over, so we should attach too much weight to that game. But if they can force the Saints into errors in their own half like Brentford did then they should come away with a few goals.

Read – Exciting Premier League signings who could debut this weekend

Liverpool’s perfect start and Slot’s shot at history

Arne Slot has enjoyed as good a start to life at Anfield as possible. Three wins from three, no goals conceded, and victory over hated club rivals Manchester United.

Liverpool are the only side in the division to keep three clean sheets, and this Saturday’s visit of Nottingham Forest offers the Dutchman a chance to make a little bit of history.

No manager in the competition’s history has kept a clean sheet in each of their first four matches in charge, while only six have won each of their first four, most recently Maurizio Sarri in 2018.

Additionally, the Reds could be only the fifth side in English top-flight history to win each of their opening four in a season without conceding, after Aston Villa in 1900-01, Ipswich Town in 1974-75, Chelsea in 2005-06, and Manchester City in 2015-16.

Read – Liverpool handed double boost despite ‘big blow’

Chelsea’s leaky defence on the road

Enzo Maresca’s men head to Bournemouth on Saturday on the back of winning their last four away matches in the Premier League.

However, they have been porous at the back on their travels since the beginning of last season, conceding in each of their last 17 trips on the road, conceding 36 goals in those games.

They kept just two clean sheets away from home in 2023/24, something their Italian head coach will be keen to rectify this weekend.

The Cherries won’t be easily stopped, though. Andoni Iraloa’s men have scored the fifth-most goals (5) from the third-highest expected goals (5.99xG) so far this season.

Read – Ben Chilwell offered Chelsea olive branch following failed move

Sandro Tonali could offer Newcastle X-factor

Newcastle United’s performances have thus far been a little unconvincing, yet they remain unbeaten from their first three games and sit on seven points. A trip to 18th-placed Wolves on Sunday offers a great chance to extend that run to four.

Their performance level should be boosted by the return of Sandro Tonali to the starting lineup. The Italian came off the bench in the win over Spurs for his first Premier League appearance since last October.

The 24-year-old seems to already back in the groove, having supplied a delicious backheel assist for Federico Dimarco’s brilliant finish as Italy secured a surprise 3-1 win over France.

It’s that kind of class and ingenuity the Magpies could do with and Eddie Howe has been yearning for. “It’s typical Sandro,” he said in his pre-match press conference. “He has that flair and the ability to do things that can make the difference.

“It was an outstanding finish as well as a great team move, but he has the ability. I’ve always said that he’s a player that we absolutely love.”

Read – 10 of the very best Premier League ‘Barclaysmen’

Unai Emery’s unlikely selection headache

Coming into this season Ollie Watkins would have been one of the most nailed-on players to start every week in the Premier League. A month on the England international has no goals from three games, while his teammate Jhon Duran has two from just 82 minutes of play.

It leaves manager Unai Emery with a decision to make: does he stick with the forward who has a track record in front of goal but lacking form, or the young pretender on a hot streak?

The Basque native is, judging by his comments anyway, quite content with the situation as they prepare to take on a beleaguered Everton side.

“I’m happy, I want it. I want our players competing, each one to increase and add quality for us. Of course they are two strikers in good form and last year they played together sometimes.

“Last year their connection wasn’t so good on the pitch. But Jhon Duran is getting mature, he is getting confidence. Ollie Watkins, after his small problems and after he came trying to get fitness quick, progressively he is feeling better and they can play individually or they can play together.

“Of course I want the best of them from here until the end of the season and I am happy it is those players in this form.”

Read – Five of the best Premier League loan signings of the summer

The elephant in the room

Yeah, we can’t ignore it, can we? Manchester City are finally going to have the the chance to defend themselves against the 115 charges levied against them by the Premier League for allegedly breaking the competition’s financial rules.

The trial starts on Monday, but it will doubtlessly be a huge talking point before and this weekend’s match between City and Brentford, and for the next ten weeks as it plays out behind closed doors at an independent hearing.

It has always been lurking in the background over the past few years as Pep Guardiola’s team picked up title after title, but now that it’s here, will it have an effect on the players? Or will they continue swatting every obstacle aside – including the league’s lawyers?

Read – Pep Guardiola says Man City ‘will accept sentence’ as hearing nears

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