1
Cooper clashes with former club Forest
Two years ago, it was this match that seemed to have brought an end to Steve Cooper's era at Nottingham Forest. losing 4-0 at King Power Stadium. He survived another 14 months before being fired. A few weeks ago, the situation seemed equally critical for him at Leicester, but two wins in a row after a positive performance at defeat against Arsenal They have put Cooper on more stable footing. Despite the improvement, fans are still not entirely convinced of the man who brought so much success to his rivals. However, a win on Friday night would secure a third straight win and help boost Cooper's popularity. If they get the points, Leicester would move into the top half, which would go some way to vindicating the manager's appointment after a faltering start in the Premier League. won't win
Has Aston Villa's near-perfect start gone unnoticed beyond B6? Villa have won nine of their 12 games and drawn two; their only defeat was at home to Arsenal in August despite a brilliant performance. They maintained their 100% Champions League record in midweek and host Bournemouth on Saturday with perhaps the strongest team of all time at Unai Emery's disposal. Ollie Watkins, Boubacar Kamara, Ross Barkley, Jacob Ramsey and Jaden Philogene came off the bench on Tuesday. victory over Bologna. Former Bournemouth defender Tyrone Mings could join Kamara and Emi Buendia in returning to action after long-term injuries, with 441 days since Mings' last appearance. “The strength in depth is amazing,” said Villa captain John McGinn. “We are excited. I think the coach is the only person who doesn't get excited, he doesn't let us take our foot off the accelerator.” ben fisherman
3
Time is ticking for Phillips to step forward
Kieran McKenna's Ipswich side remain winless since returning to the top flight. They are discovering how difficult the Premier League is and need senior players to step up. After some promising performances since joining on loan from Manchester City, Kalvin Phillips has disappointed in recent weeks. The English midfielder should be an influential figure at Portman Road and after witnessing a naive defeat against EvertonWhen Ipswich were unable to cope with the physicality of their opponents, Phillips must demonstrate his experience at Brentford to prevent his team from suffering the same fate. He has been treated carefully since arriving in East Anglia, with a lack of on-field minutes in recent seasons leaving him without match practice, but he should now be fit enough to compete for 90 minutes. The 28-year-old has looked sloppy in Ipswich's last two games; He needs to leave that and become the main man of a team that needs points. wu
4
Hürzeler discovers more hidden treasures
Brighton splashed out almost £200m on nine new players over the summer and are already reaping the benefits. Veteran Danny Welbeck was Fabian Hürzeler's star and scored the only goal of the game. win at Newcastle last week, but Georginio Rutter and Yankuba Minteh looked like shrewd signings. However, while the early progress of Matt O'Riley and Ferdi Kadioglu has been stalled by injury, this weekend could finally be the chance for another newcomer to show his ability. Attacking midfielder Brajan Gruda is in the running for his title debut after coming off the bench in the 3-2 win over Tottenham before the international break. The German under-21 scored four Bundesliga goals for Mainz last season before moving to the south coast for £25million and Hürzeler will be eager to unleash him against Wolves on Saturday. Ed Aaron
5
Will Guardiola trust Nunes?
Matheus Nunes and the beginnings of the Premier League at Manchester City are few and far between. The Portuguese midfielder has played 22 league games since arriving from Wolves and only seven times since the opening whistle. After being part of the team that Sparta Prague defeated and with another League Cup start at Tottenham before their eyes, perhaps Pep Guardiola would be wise to trust Nunes and give him a run of three consecutive starts. Southampton, who have failed to win any of their first eight games, look like a suitable opponent to help Nunes get a look after scoring one and creating two on Wednesday. It would do Nunes' confidence a world of good to get the nod from her coach, who knows she will need the 26-year-old more than she expected after losing Rodri to injury. wu
6
The toffee couple continues to prove their worth
While discussing Everton Defeat on the opening day against Brighton In August, Sean Dyche said: “There are still people here who will not be accepted. So, if you think about it, you are already three or four less on your squad because the fans don't accept them.” The Everton manager refused to name names but, even if he exaggerated, it would have been reasonable to assume that Ashley Young and Michael Keane were among those he had in mind. Both have had lapses that encouraged criticism this season, but it would be rude not to recognize their valuable contributions to Everton's gradual recovery. Dyche's side are unbeaten in four Premier League games ahead of Fulham's visit and have kept a clean sheet in their last two. Young's versatility at 39 and Keane's focus, knowing Jarrad Branthwaite could take his place when fit, have been hugely important for a defense beset by injuries. With Dyche's defensive options improving, there will be greater competition for the duo on Saturday. Both, however, have earned their place and acceptance. andy hunter
7
Chelsea seeks stability between the sticks
It's rare to see a team win the title without a top goalkeeper. The key to Liverpool's rise under Jürgen Klopp was replacing Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius with Alisson Becker. The signing of the Brazilian helped give Liverpool the advantage in several close games and Chelsea would do well to follow a similar path. Robert Sánchez has his qualities (the former Brighton goalkeeper saved a penalty against Bournemouth and made crucial saves against Nottingham Forest), but he doesn't scream reliability. He has a habit of putting pressure on his teammates with his distribution and needed to control his area better when Curtis Jones restored Liverpool's lead against Chelsea last weekend. Enzo Maresca, however, stays with Sánchez. The Spaniard is likely to get the nod over Filip Jörgensen against Newcastle. Jacob Steinberg
8
Glasner needs to find space for Nketiah
Despite his best efforts, Eddie Nketiah's quest for his first Crystal Palace goal continues. The former Arsenal striker seemed determined to make his mark vs. Nottingham Forest on Monday after being preferred to Jean-Philippe Mateta for the second game in a row, but looked frustrated when he was replaced by the Frenchman after Forest scored. It was a curious decision by Palace to sign a new striker for a fee that could reach £30m given Mateta's poor run of form at the end of last season, and Oliver Glasner will know he has to find a way to accommodate both on their team. if Palace want to move away from the bottom three after their disastrous start. Expect a change to their usual 3-4-2-1 formation when Palace take on Ange Postecoglou's side on Sunday. EA
9
A meeting of confused midfielders
Prepare for the toughest midfield battle of all time. West Ham have adopted the curious strategy of filling a key area with players totally unsuited to the pace of the Premier League. Manchester United, however, rival Julen Lopetegui's team in terms of porosity in the middle. With Kobbie Mainoo injured and Manuel Ugarte already out of favor, Erik ten Hag paired Christian Eriksen with Casemiro over the past weekend. battle victory over Brentford. They are not exactly the most dynamic pairing, but they could possess enough quality on the ball to overcome West Ham. Lopetegui is under pressure after watching Spurs overwhelm and outplay Tomas Soucek, Lucas Paquetá and Guido Rodríguez last weekend. js
10
Arteta faces difficult defense decisions
Jakub Kiwior didn't seem very impressed when he was taken out against Bournemouthafter having been hired to reinforce Arsenal's rearguard action following the dismissal of William Saliba. The Polish defender was rumored to leave the Emirates in the summer following the arrival of Riccardo Calafiori. Mikel Arteta will be grateful to still be present given his current defensive crisis The Italian is expected to miss against Liverpool. While Kiwior was at fault for Bournemouth's second goal after his careless backpass led to David Raya conceding a penalty, he could have a crucial role to play against Arne Slot's side, with Arsenal's options reduced to the basics. given Saliba's suspension and Jurriën Timber's continued absence. Arteta must decide whether he or Ben White should partner Gabriel Magalhães in central defense when they take on Mohamed Salah and company. EA
