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

1

Richarlison needs to step up for Spurs

Time is running out for Richarlison. Injuries to Dominic Solanke and Randal Kolo Muani gave the Brazilian a consistent run in Thomas Frankâ€s starting XI but, with just one goal since the first league game of the season, he has not taken his opportunities. Now, with Kolo Muani fit, the former Everton striker has had to make do with a place on the bench and failed to impress against FC Copenhagen in midweek, missing a penalty that another striker, Dane Scarlett, won. Competition is fierce, even for a Spurs side that registered 0.1 xG in the defeat to Chelsea – the lowest by any Premier League team this season – and speculation has already begun before the January transfer window. Both Ivan Toney (who played under Frank at Brentford) and Dusan Vlahovic (whose contract at Juventus is up next summer) have been linked. Tottenham have money to spend so Richarlison must make the most of his minutes if wants to have a future at the club, as well as keep himself in contention for Carlo Ancelottiâ€s Brazil squad with the World Cup coming up next summer. Michael Butler

Richarlison has scored one goal in all competitions since his double against Burnley on 16 August. Photograph: Dalton Bowden/Shutterstock

2

Everton to shake up forward options?

Jack Grealish is getting everything he wanted out of a loan move to Everton – regular football, the freedom to express himself, the adoration of the crowd – but the absence of a quality striker to finish his steady supply of final balls must be galling for a player desperate to regain his England place before the World Cup. From Erling Haaland to Beto and Thierno Barry is quite the drop-off and the recurring flaw in David Moyesâ€s team, indeed in Evertonâ€s season, was evident again at Sunderland on Monday when Barry missed a glorious chance to make it 2-0 from Grealishâ€s perfect cross. Barry, who cost £27m from Villarreal this summer, has not had a shot on target in 10 league appearances. The 23-year-old looked despondent when substituted early at the Stadium of Light and his confidence must be taking a hit from both his minimal impact and Moyesâ€s revolving selection policy. But the Everton manager cannot allow the status quo to continue and will give serious consideration to trying something new in attack, should Iliman Ndiaye be passed fit to face Fulham. Andy Hunter

3

Potts providing key to Nunoâ€s formula

It was strange that Graham Potter overlooked Freddie Potts at the start of the season. The young midfielder did well in pre-season but Potter was too quick to go back to more experienced players. It was a mistake. West Hamâ€s lack of dynamism in midfield was a major part of why Potter lost his job. Potts is not the saviour but he was outstanding when Nuno Espírito Santo secured his first win as West Hamâ€s manager by beating Newcastle last weekend. Nuno, though, had also taken a while to give Potts a chance. He picked odd midfields during defeats by Brentford and Leeds but found the right formula against Newcastle. Potts, playing behind Mateus Fernandes and Lucas Paquetá, gave West Ham snap and drive. He dominated Bruno Guimarães, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton. That was only one game, though, and the challenge for the 22-year-old academy product is to maintain that level, starting at home to Burnley in a game West Ham will be expected to win. Jacob Steinberg

4

Xhaka out to complete redemption arc

Granit Xhaka was never the most popular figure at Arsenal. The old tweets of New Yorkâ€s newly elected mayor and lifelong Gooner, Zohran Mamdani, surfaced this week after his victory. Mamdani took aim at the midfielder in the lead-up to Arsenalâ€s match against Chelsea on Boxing Day 2020. Xhaka proved his critics wrong that day, scoring a sensational free kick in a 3-1 win, and has done the same since leaving Arsenal. Xhaka has been a revelation at Bayer Leverkusen – where he won the Bundesliga title undefeated – and now Sunderland, where he is adored by fans for perfectly complementing the youth of Régis Le Bris†surging side. The league leaders will go to the Stadium of Light wary of their former captain, who will surely be out to prove a point. MB

Granit Xhakaâ€s equaliser against Everton on Monday night was his first goal for Sunderland. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA

5

The João Pedro-Delap collaboration

João Pedro and Liam Delap have not had much time to form an understanding. They started together when Chelsea visited West Ham in their second game of the season but the partnership was disrupted when Delap injured a hamstring against Fulham a week later. The striker was out for two months and then foolhardy when he returned to action, stupidly getting himself sent off when Chelsea won at Molineux in the Carabao Cup last week. However, Enzo Maresca has both forwards available for his sideâ€s league game against Wolves on Saturday. Delap came off the bench during Chelseaâ€s draw at Qarabag on Wednesday and looked eager to make up for lost time. A goal was elusive but there is an argument for Maresca to start Delap at No 9 and João Pedro at No 10 against Wolves. Doing so could give Chelsea more incisiveness against a low block. JS

Andoni Iraola has seamlessly absorbed more than £200m of summer sales to keep Bournemouth on track. But the manager is not only trying to emulate last seasonâ€s record points tally but to go one better, with qualifying for Europe the ultimate objective. The club have recruited superbly but Iraola has also found internal solutions, partly out of necessity, with the midfielders Lewis Cook and Ryan Christie, the fulcrum of their success last season, sidelined by knee and hernia problems earlier this campaign. Those injuries have allowed Alex Scott, signed from Bristol City two years ago after claiming the Championship young player of the year prize, to flourish. The 22-year-old has started nine of their 10 league games this season, one more than he managed in total last season, and is enjoying his best run in the team alongside Tyler Adams, the USA captain, who has also seized his chance. Bournemouth, defeated by only Liverpool and Manchester City in the league, have fresh impetus. Ben Fisher

7

Thiaw heating up for club and country

Nick Woltemade may have taken most of the headlines for Newcastle in recent months but the performances of another German, Malick Thiaw, have not gone unnoticed. Since making his first start on 21 September in the goalless draw at Bournemouth, Thiaw has not missed a minute of first-team football and has impressed with his physicality, intelligence and reading of the game. The 24-year-old last played for his country more than two years ago but this week earned a recall to the Germany squad, with Julian Nagelsmann calling him a key player. After another towering display in the win over Athletic Bilbao, Eddie Howe explained how happy he was to have finally signed Thiaw from Milan in the summer after various failed attempts. “It felt like a long pursuit but certainly worth the wait,†said the Newcastle manager. MB

Malick Thiaw has become an assured presence at the back for Newcastle. Photograph: Craig Cowan/Action Plus/Shutterstock

8

The latest Selhurst Park grudge match

Separated by just one point and one position in the top half of the table, Sundayâ€s game between Crystal Palace and Brighton should have extra spice as both sides attempt to build on promising starts to the campaign. For Fabian Hürzeler, it is another opportunity to get one over his opposite number Oliver Glasner, who he has previously described as a “role model†and sounded out for advice when he moved to the south coast last year. Palace did the double over their fierce rivals last season for the first time since both clubs were in Division Three South almost a century ago – but they may be tired after their Conference League exertions on Thursday night. Will a fresher Brighton, who last won at Selhurst Park in March 2019, take full advantage? Ed Aarons

9

Leedsâ€s set pieces could hurt Forest

“Until they change the laws of the game, restarts, set pieces, will always win and lose games. Youâ€ll ignore them at your peril.†Did Pep Guardiola or Graham Taylor say that? Correct, it was Taylor, addressing his England players in rain-swept Poland before a 1993 World Cup qualifier. Considering Nottingham Forestâ€s terrible set-piece record this season, Leeds are sure to focus on free-kicks and corners at the City Ground. Forest have conceded nine goals from dead balls in the league while scoring just twice from them. Itâ€s a long way from the miserly back line masterminded by Nuno Espírito Santo, but Sean Dyche is surely the man to whip some capable players into shape after the abysmal Ange Postecoglou interlude. If they can start winning those second balls, even better. As Nuno toils at West Ham and Forest contemplate a relegation fight, do he and Evangelos Marinakis secretly wish they could have settled their differences? Luke McLaughlin

10

Rampaging Haaland takes on champions

“Stop Erling Haaland†is surely the mission for Liverpool as Arne Slot plots to execute a repeat of last seasonâ€s win at the Etihad Stadium, when goals from Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai secured a league double over Manchester City. The Norwegian No 9 has netted 27 times for club and country, including 13 in the Premier League, yet zoom out and the timing of this fixture should please the leaders, Arsenal, whose advantage is six points over City and seven over Liverpool. If Mikel Artetaâ€s side can beat Sunderland on Saturday then any result on Sunday in east Manchester would benefit them, with a draw probably ideal. Jamie Jackson

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