Eight talking points ahead of the Premier League weekend

On By Littum

Eight talking points ahead of the Premier League weekend with Ruud van Nistelrooy’s future, Chris Wood and Manchester City in uncharted territory.

Dyche has got Everton back to basics

Everton’s defeat at Southampton last weekend was a setback for Sean Dyche’s side, although the underlying data suggests the Toffees have rediscovered their strengths.

After a nightmare start, Everton have taken nine points from their last six games to steer clear of trouble, while the Blues have conceded just four goals during the run. No team in the Premier League has conceded fewer in the same period, despite Jarrad Branthwaite’s absence from the side. Having conceded 13 goals in their opening four games, Everton’s renewed sense of solidity bodes well as the season progresses. Last season Everton had the best defensive record outside the top three – the basis for survival.

The battle for the bottom two

Southampton secured their first win since promotion last weekend and moved off the bottom of the Premier League table. A hard-fought 1-0 win over Everton has got Saints up and running, ahead of a crucial six-pointer at the weekend. Russell Martin’s 19th-placed side take on Wolves in a battle for the bottom two, with the latter still searching for their first win of the campaign.

Gary O’Neil is confident that victory will come after improved performances of late and the arrival of Southampton at Molineux is an opportunity that cannot pass up. A failure to win will leave O’Neil and the Wolves in a precarious position.

Can Guardiola stop the rot?

Pep Guardiola is approaching uncharted territory. Manchester City’s humiliation at Sporting Lisbon in midweek was a third successive defeat for the Citizens, just the second time Guardiola has suffered such a run at the Etihad. City have never lost four games in a row under Guardiola before, while it is 18 years since the club last did so under Stuart Pearce.

The manner of the 4-1 defeat at Sporting, the club’s heaviest since September 2020, will worry as City’s battered squad was torn apart in the Portuguese capital.

A trip to a Brighton side unbeaten at home might not be the ideal match to bounce back as the Seagulls certainly possess the tools to hurt the champions. However, City have a strong record against this weekend’s opponents, having won 13 of their last 15 meetings in all competitions.

Slot selection headaches don’t get any easier

Arne Slot has the most welcome selection headache at Liverpool. Even with Diogo Jota out, the Reds boast a collection of up-and-coming talent who are difficult to squeeze into an XI. Slot has insisted his preference is to operate with a recognized striker, but recent wins over Brighton and Bayer Leverkusen have been achieved without one.

The Dutchman opted to use Luis Diaz in a central role against the latter and the Colombian responded with a hat-trick to down the German champions at Anfield.

Diaz in the middle allowed winger and in-form Cody Gakpo to play in the same side and it was an encouraging experiment for Slot. With Gakpo in the goals, Darwin Nunez struggling a bit and Mohamed Salah as good as ever, Liverpool are not short of options.

Wood out to haunt Newcastle again

Things didn’t work out for Chris Wood at Newcastle. Brought in as one of the club’s first Saudi-financed transfers with the club struggling for relegation, he helped the Magpies secure their top-flight status but without regular goals.

He scored just four times in 35 league games before being allowed to join Nottingham Forest, where the 32-year-old has found a home.

After a slow start at the City Ground, Wood has flourished at Skov. He has 22 goals in his last 41 league games, including eight in just 10 games this season. The New Zealand international scored a hat-trick against his former club last season and will be out to haunt the Magpies again this weekend. He has scored just two goals less than Newcastle have managed as a team so far this season.

What next for Ruud van Nistelrooy?

Ruud van Nistelrooy’s reign as caretaker manager of Manchester United ends this weekend, but will it be farewell to the fan favourite? The Dutchman was brought in to assist Erik ten Hag in the summer and has steadied the ship since his compatriot’s exit with two wins and a draw at Chelsea from his three games in charge.

He leads the team for the last time against Leicester on Sunday, hoping to complete his tenure unbeaten. Question marks remain over what is next for Van Nistelrooy, who clearly commands respect in the dressing room but was the former coach’s man.

Will Ruben Amorim, who will take several of his coaching staff with him from Sporting Lisbon, decide to keep him? Van Nistelrooy could be an ideal crutch to lean on as Amorim adapts to the demands of the Premier League.

Spurs need to avoid another European hangover

Tottenham Hotspur host winless Ipswich Town this weekend in a game from which Ange Postecoglou will demand three points. Only two teams have collected more home points than Spurs this season and the visit of the struggling Tractor Boys offers an opportunity to improve on their strong form in north London.

However, Spurs will need to avoid another European hangover after the midweek outings. Postecoglou’s side have lost their last two league games immediately following their Europa League commitments, at Brighton and Crystal Palace. After defeat to a Victor Osimhen-inspired Galatasaray on Thursday night, Postecoglou will hope his side are fresh enough to respond.

Will Odegaard return lift Arsenal?

Martin Odegaard returned to Arsenal as a late substitute against Inter in midweek and how the Gunners have missed him. The Norwegian has been sidelined since September’s international break and Arsenal’s inconsistent form in his absence has underlined his importance.

Mikel Arteta’s side take on Chelsea this weekend looking to bounce back from back-to-back defeats. It’s three without a win in the Premier League, a run that has seen the north Londoners fall seven points behind leaders Liverpool. Having failed to score in their last two, Odegaard’s invention could lift an Arsenal squad in desperate need of inspiration.

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