1
Dyche back to square one ahead of Spurs test
Everton celebrated the first anniversary of Sean Dyche's appointment falling into the relegation zone on Tuesday. The worrying situation belies the undoubted progress the Everton boss has overseen since replacing Frank Lampard but, before demanding games against Tottenham and Manchester City, his team urgently need to rediscover the spark that has since been lost. the 2-1 defeat by Ange Postecoglou's team before Christmas. Injuries and constant demands on a small group of reliable first-team players have affected Everton, who are winless in five Premier League games and have suffered morale-dampening home defeats in both cup competitions since They last got three points at Burnley on December 16. . Dyche's reign began with a relentless home win over north London rivals 12 months ago, when title-chasing Arsenal They were defeated 1-0. With the club's appeal against a 10-point deduction for breaching financial rules offering no guarantees, it is back to square one in terms of another relegation fight. andy hunter
2
Brighton prepare for frenetic derby
The M23 derby It is perhaps only comparable to the historic Watford-Luton rivalry for its fearsome intensity, and Crystal Palace visit Brighton with both managers under some pressure. After a promising start, Roberto De Zerbi's side have won just one of their last eight league games, scoring just six goals in the process, with four of them coming in that one victory. They sent four in a midweek rout at Luton, and it's hard not to wonder if his idiosyncratic style, harrying teams before jumping in, has come under fire. Meanwhile, Roy Hodgson could not look down on his young and talented players. On Tuesday, Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze scored and created all three of their team's goals. scraped by Sheffield United, the bottom club in the league, to record their second win in their last 11 games; The atmosphere in Selhurst is not good. As such, it could be a frantic and desperate afternoon in Sussex – exactly as a derby should be. Daniel Harris
3
Time is running out for Fulham's Brazilian forwards
Fulham reached an unwanted milestone on Tuesday with their goalless draw against Everton at Craven Cottage. It was the tenth time this season that Marco Silva's side failed to score in a Premier League match, surpassing any other timid opposition in the top flight, and Raúl Jiménez's hamstring injury adds to the club's concerns. trainer about where the remedy will come from. Since a prolific run of 16 goals in four league games up to the start of December, Fulham have scored in one of their last six Premier League games. Only Sheffield United have scored fewer goals away from home. Neither Rodrigo Muniz nor Carlos Vinícius have provided the cutting edge that a team with creative talent requires, while the Aleksandar Mitrovic-sized hole continues to stifle Fulham's development. The duo need to take a step forward at Burnley. His opportunities are likely to be further limited once the transfer window reopens this summer. oh
4
Newcastle Athletic, old school power rival
After a dubious period, Newcastle could be on the way back, giving Manchester City a chance to earn their money before wins away at Fulham, in the Cup, and Villa, in the league in midweek. They were particularly impressive in dealing with Unai Emery's team, Anthony Gordon's direct and intelligent direction making him the best of a very good group. But while Villa's tall defensive line entices players with its pace and drive, Luton will not be as accommodating, fresh from a commanding midweek win, their third in five league games. Although the first win in that run came over Newcastle, it was at Kenilworth Road and Eddie Howe's side, 14th in the away record table, are fourth in the home version. Plus, with a team full of imposing athletes asking physical questions of their opponents, they are well equipped to deal with the Hatters' old-school style. Expect them to continue their recent improvement. HD
5
A defensive rethink for Emery?
Unai Emery has done a fantastic job as Aston Villa manager. It's fair to say that he inherited some very useful and expensive equipment, but how to make the most of it was a question that baffled Dean Smith and Steven Gerrard before him. Emery, however, quickly did what he could not: he decided on a system and personnel, and then instructed them as they settled. The question now, however, is whether a little rethinking is necessary, because against teams with fast, direct attackers and good passers in midfield, Emery's high line looks like something of a liability. He has cost Villa two defeats against Newcastle (5-1 on the first weekend of the season and 3-1 midweek) and a Two goals ahead against Manchester United, who will visit us next weekend. So while they should take care of Sheffield United (and many other teams in the division) quite easily, it might be time for a defensive adjustment. HD
6
Is Sel the solution for Nuno?
One of the first big questions that was posed to Nuno Espírito Santo upon assuming Nottingham Forest focused on how the goalkeeper situation would play out. Nuno, a former goalkeeper who won the Champions League at Porto under Jose Mourinho, knows how he is an elite goalkeeper. Forest had Brice Samba on their way to promotion and then joined on loan last season by Dean Henderson and Keylor Navas, who quickly established themselves as fan favourites. Nuno made it clear that he would give Matt Turner and Odysseas Vlachodimos the chance to claim the number one spot, but neither have been convincing and the former made another costly mistake in the defeat to Arsenal on Tuesday. Forest's deadline day move for Matz Sels, who failed to impress at Newcastle, making nine appearances in two forgettable years, looks disappointing but Nuno needs it to be a masterstroke. ben fisherman
7
Blundering Blues seek Nkunku boost
Christopher Nkunku's scoring cameo was one of the only positives from Chelsea's humiliation against Liverpool. The striker made a good shot and was unlucky not to be awarded a penalty. Chelsea hope there is more to come. Nkunku is seen as the club's most talented player, but he has struggled for fitness since he arrived from RB Leipzig last summer. He will expect Mauricio Pochettino to start him from the start when Wolves visit Stamford Bridge. Chelsea need an adult in the team. Jacob Steinberg
If Erik ten Hag wants to save his job, his case will be strengthened by having a fully fit squad. Although if that group loses winning positions like they almost did at Wolves, then they will run out of excuses. In pre-season the plan was to have André Onana protected by a defensive pairing of Lautaro Martínez and Raphaël Varane behind Casemiro, with Kobbie Mainoo learning from the Brazilian. That group has barely played together and, as a result, Rasmus Højlund has had a steep learning curve, holding his own up front. Against Wolves in the first half, United's engine room purred as Højlund thrived. As for Marcus Rashford, selecting him after his trip to Belfast seemed like the action of a weak coach incapable of imposing discipline. It was effective; Reviving Rashford would be a useful tool for self-preservation. As is Mainoo's continued contribution, although Ten Hag's team still lacks the means to take down opponents. John Brewin
9
Bradley's wings will be clipped, for now
Manchester City stalks with intention and experience in routes and distances, so a match between Arsenal and Liverpool becomes an effective second round between those who will be the closest rivals of the serial champions. If Jürgen Klopp's farewell season is to end with him celebrating the title with pandemic-deprived fans in 2020, then for the leaders to avoid defeat at Arsenal, at the very least, seems a necessity. The fact that Liverpool are surfing a wave of excitement is only enhanced by the romance of Conor Bradley's breakthrough but once Trent Alexander-Arnold proved capable of playing the final 22 minutes of the 4-1 win over Chelsea, having done the same against Norwich, his return to the team became a fait accompli. In a post-Klopp Liverpool, Bradley's rise could soon push Alexander-Arnold into a more permanent midfield role, but even if the Tyrone rookie looks a more natural defender, it would be a surprise if the vice-captain starts a such a vital match on the field. bank. J.B.
10
Manchester City's confrontation with the Bees
Pep Guardiola and Manchester City have calculated the precise amount of effort and concentration required to get at least one point more than whoever is chasing them, burning their rivals with previously improbable winning streaks that start just in time. And they are set to do the same this season, beating Newcastle and Spurs in two of their last three games, the tally of consecutive wins. now up to eight in league and cups, with Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones and Erling Haaland returning. Brentford, however, achieved the double over City last season and, although the second victory came with the title assured, their style (physical, direct and full of energy, but also technical) is more than capable of causing problems. Ivan Toney in particular will be eager to make up for lost time as he gets the move he wants and works his way into England's Euro 2024 squad, all of which should make for a fun evening at the Community Stadium. HD
