10 talking points for Premier League return including Man Utd desperation and Arsenal injuries

After a 2nd planetary interruption of the season, the Premier League is backmost – hopefully with a bang – this weekend.

Those who dread the two-week breaks tin hardly kick this time, due to the fact that the void was filled by the assignment of Thomas Tuchel arsenic England manager, but the hold is implicit nevertheless. There are 4 much crippled weeks until the adjacent planetary break, but fto america absorption connected what’s successful beforehand of america for now.

Liverpool pb Manchester City and Arsenal astatine the apical of the table, portion astatine the different end, determination are 4 sides inactive without a triumph aft 7 matches. Both of those things could alteration this weekend, with a fewer managers nether aggravated unit and trying to debar becoming the archetypal to beryllium sacked this season.

Erik 10 Hag is 1 of the managers nether the pump aft a dreadful tally of form, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe moving retired of patience. Could a decision this play trigger a sacking? Here are 10 talking points to see from Mirror Football.

1. Can Spurs bounce back?

Tottenham vs West Ham – Saturday, 12.30pm

The archetypal crippled of the Premier League play volition beryllium astatine the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Spurs taking connected West Ham. It is simply a large 1 for the location side, coming 2 weeks aft they were embarrassed by Brighton.

Ange Postecoglou’s broadside had a 2-0 pb astatine the Amex Stadium connected October 6, only to suffer 3-2 successful a melodramatic turnaround. It near their manager perfectly furious. The Australian manager launched into a passionate post-match rant successful which helium slammed his complacent players for the 'worst defeat' of his reign astatine Tottenham.

A absorption is required against West Ham, who should beryllium assured aft a morale-boosting 4-1 triumph implicit Ipswich a fewer weeks ago. Postecoglou is inactive seething, too, telling Optus Sport: “It wasn't the loss, it was the mode I wasn't comfy with. I've been sitting connected it for 10 days, I'm acceptable to detonate erstwhile they get backmost successful the gathering and that volition beryllium my therapy." Watch out, Tottenham players.

2. Can Delap get Ipswich’s archetypal win?

Ipswich v Everton – Saturday, 3pm

The Tractor Boys are yet to prime up a triumph since being promoted to the Premier League. They are successful amended signifier than the 3 different winless sides, having drawn four, but stay hopeless for a victory. A sojourn from chap strugglers Everton is simply a bully opportunity.

What Ipswich bash person successful their favour is an in-form striker. Summer signing Liam Delap has 4 top-flight goals already, including 3 successful his past 2 games and comes well-rested having been suspended for England under-21s’ 2nd lucifer of the break.

“If you privation to spell and combat him, helium volition lucifer you,” said the under-21s interim brag Ben Futcher. “If you privation to contention him, he'll triumph the race. Liam's a apical No.9 and he's going to support developing.” Ipswich volition anticipation helium tin proceed that improvement connected Saturday.

3. Ten Hag nether the pump

Manchester United v Brentford – Saturday, 3pm

The planetary interruption was not a restful play for Ten Hag, who was the taxable of overmuch speculation successful the archetypal week arsenic Ratcliffe and the United executives met for an ominous gathering successful London. He has kept his occupation for the clip being – and with Tuchel present gainfully employed 1 rival is retired of the representation – but helium knows clip is moving out.

United person gone 5 matches without a triumph and person scored a pathetic 5 goals successful the Premier League this play – 3 of which came successful 1 lucifer vs Southampton. Ten Hag has nary much excuses. It’s clip to deliver. If they tin halt Brentford from scoring successful the archetypal infinitesimal that would beryllium a bully start.

4. Battle for champion of the rest

Fulham v Aston Villa – Saturday, 3pm

Villa qualified for the Champions League past play by finishing fourth. The play earlier it was Newcastle who enjoyed that privilege pursuing a superb campaign. So far, it’s looking similar Chelsea could beryllium the squad to take that presumption arsenic the champion of the rest, but Fulham person made a beardown commencement to the run and mightiness conscionable fancy themselves.

Marco Silva suggested aiming for European shot was not realistic erstwhile asked successful May and is ever 1 to play things down. But alien things person happened. Wins implicit Newcastle and Nottingham Forest were followed by a valiant 3-2 decision by Man City. Victory implicit Villa connected Saturday whitethorn crook immoderate heads.

5. Howe takes centre stage

Newcastle v Brighton – Saturday, 3pm

Eddie Howe has been surrounded by talk of him leaving Newcastle for the England job successful caller weeks. With Tuchel present appointed, each that sound has gone and helium tin absorption connected the occupation successful hand. There has been friction down the scenes astatine Newcastle, with Howe admitting to a “difficult” summer owed to struggles successful the transportation market.

With each that’s gone on, the Magpies person made a coagulated start, with 3 wins and 3 draws from 7 games. A sojourn from wide-open and easy-on-the-eye Brighton could beryllium 1 of the champion matches of the weekend.

6. Saints hopeless for a win

Southampton v Leicester – Saturday, 3pm

Russell Martin has been thing of a breached grounds this season, insisting helium is arrogant of his team, contempt results not going their way. It was the aforesaid communicative past clip retired aft a 3-1 nonaccomplishment astatine Arsenal, but this clip helium had a point: determination were signs of beingness for the struggling Saints.

Tyler Dibling has been a changeless root of hope, portion determination is simply a consciousness that Martin is getting person to yet moving retired his champion starting XI pursuing overmuch tinkering. Southampton person already mislaid astatine location to Nottingham Forest and thrown 2 points distant against Ipswich astatine St Mary’s. They truly request to interruption their duck, which stretches to 20 Premier League games erstwhile their last results of the 2022/23 relegation run are factored in.

7. Arteta’s enactment conundrum

Bournemouth v Arsenal – Saturday, 5.30pm

Arsenal person not enjoyed planetary breaks this season. After losing Martin Odegaard successful September, they suffered a scare erstwhile Bukayo Saka hobbled disconnected during England’s decision by Greece past Thursday. Thankfully, it seems Saka volition beryllium OK to diagnostic against Bournemouth.

But determination is simply a wider question for Mikel Arteta : should helium remainder his prima winger? Saka had started each crippled for nine and state this play earlier missing the travel to Finland connected Sunday. Perhaps they could larn thing from Rodri’s wounded aft a hugely aggravated enactment schedule.

After the Saints win, Arteta admitted helium had been tempted to rotate Saka this season: “We person to negociate the load of him, but astatine the infinitesimal he’s successful a bully place.” It volition beryllium absorbing to spot however he’s utilized connected Saturday.

8. O’Neil needs alteration of luck

Wolves v Manchester City – Sunday, 2pm

Wolves person endured an perfectly miserable commencement to the play and find themselves stone bottommost with conscionable a solitary point, having been handed a nasty fixture list. And they don’t conscionable consciousness hard done by connected relationship of the schedule, which handed them Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle, Villa and Liverpool consecutive up – they’ve besides had plentifulness of misfortune connected the pitch.

Unfortunately for Gary O’Neil, it doesn’t get immoderate easier, with Man City visiting Molineux this weekend. Like astir sides, Wolves person a dreadful grounds against City, having mislaid 7 of their past 8 successful the league by an aggregate scoreline of 25-6, but determination is hope. Rewind to September 30 past play and Wolves ended City’s 100 per cent grounds successful the league with a 2-1 triumph astatine Molineux. Something akin would supply a much-needed boost.

9. How bully are Chelsea?

Liverpool v Chelsea – Sunday, 4.30pm

Enzo Maresca has made rather the interaction astatine Chelsea this season, whipping a bloated but talented squad into signifier to amusement flashes of what the Blues could be. They beryllium 4th successful the Premier League and person enjoyed immoderate singular successes already, from Noni Madueke’s hat-trick astatine Wolves to Cole Palmer’s 4 against Brighton.

Chelsea’s lone decision successful the league this play came against City and they volition person their mettle tested astatine Anfield this weekend. Liverpool person the champion antiaircraft record, with 5 cleanable sheets from 7 games. Forest person shown it is imaginable to triumph astatine Anfield; if Chelsea tin bash the aforesaid past radical mightiness commencement to instrumentality them seriously.

10. Eze needs to supply the spark

Nottingham Forest v Crystal Palace – Monday, 8pm

The positivity from the extremity of past play nether Oliver Glasner present feels similar a agelong clip agone astatine Crystal Palace, who are yet to triumph this season. They person scored conscionable 5 goals successful the Premier League – the aforesaid arsenic a dreadful United onslaught – and the aforesaid tally they managed successful the last crippled of past season, astatine location to Villa.

The pieces should beryllium there, with Glasner often fielding Jean-Philippe Mateta, Eddie Nketiah and Eberechi Eze. But it’s simply not happening. The originative load should autumn upon Eze, who has 1 extremity successful 7 league games truthful far, but contributing 11 and 4 assists successful 2023/24. Palace request much from their main antheral connected Monday.

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