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

1) Will Rashford expose City’s excessive line of defense?

Manchester United’s resurgence since being trounced 6-3 by Manchester City in October’s reverse fixture helps to arrange the 189th derby as essentially the most fascinating in recent times. Pep Guardiola’s champions have dropped 4 factors from the final 12 whereas Erik ten Hag’s ever-improving aspect have claimed 27 from the final 30 obtainable. Guardiola has latest kind for questionable calls: he didn’t begin Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne within the Carabao Cup defeat at Southampton on Wednesday and left it till too late to make modifications when drawing with Everton lasat month. In Marcus Rashford – 15 objectives in all competitions – United have the kind of pacy ahead that may expose City’s excessive line however City have a effective file of responding to mid-campaign dips. In true sat-on-the-fence vogue, the view right here is that this native joust is extremely tough to name. Jamie Jackson

2) Son wants to reassert his big-game credentials

All eyes can be on Harry Kane. Score a few objectives towards Arsenal on Sunday and he would grow to be Tottenham’s all-time file scorer, shifting away from Jimmy Greaves. He would most probably end on the profitable staff, too. Yet the derby is about up equally nicely for his strike companion, Son Heung-min, albeit for completely different causes. It has been a irritating interval for the South Korean, who shared the Premier League’s Golden Boot final season however has solely 4 objectives within the competitors this time out. At the World Cup, throughout which he wore a masks to shield the eye-socket he fractured towards Marseille on 1 November, there was the sense amongst a few of his teammates that he was not absolutely match; he was unable to problem for aerial balls, which meant they wanted to make modifications to how they performed. Son has continued to put on the masks for Spurs and play surprisingly on the fringes. What a time it might be for him to assume centre stage. David Hytner

3) Coutinho hastens in direction of Villa exit

Handed his first begin beneath Unai Emery towards Stevenage final weekend, Philippe Coutinho performed badly, received hooked after 66 minutes and was pressured to look on from the bench as Aston Villa have been embarrassed by their guests from League Two. While he’s unlikely to begin towards Leeds this weekend, simply over a yr after his arrival, his future at Villa appears unsure at greatest. In late December, the Brazilian took to social media to rage towards what he described as “lies” suggesting he was sad at Villa and had requested to depart in January. Given how little he has delivered for the membership up to now 12 months, regardless of a surprising debut towards Manchester United, it’s tough to think about too many followers mourning him and he’s quick working out of possibilities to impress. If he actually does need to keep at Villa Park, now could be time to show it with on-field actions moderately than Instagram tantrums. BG

4) Win or bust for Lampard

The significance of this fixture for each Everton and Southampton can’t be overstated. Everton supervisor Frank Lampard acquired a reasonably tame vote of confidence from Farhad Moshiri on Wednesday following a run of 9 defeats in 12 video games that, earlier within the erratic proprietor’s tenure, would have prompted a P45. A go to from a bottom-of-the-table staff and a supervisor with no Premier League level to his identify appeared a perfect alternative for restoration, however that was earlier than Southampton clicked beneath Nathan Jones and impressively beat Manchester City within the Carabao Cup quarter-final. Southampton’s incisiveness on the counter-attack might, if repeated, prey on what is probably going to be an anxious Goodison Park. Everton followers plan to resume greeting the staff coach en masse earlier than kick off, a characteristic of final season’s escape from relegation, but additionally stage a sit-in protest towards a board that Moshiri thinks is working simply effective. Lampard, caught within the center, actually wants a win. Andy Hunter

5) Matured Mitrovic again on Tyneside

Something may have to give at St James’ Park. Will or not it’s the perfect defensive file within the Premier League? After all, Eddie Howe’s Newcastle have conceded solely 11 instances within the League this season. Or may or not it’s Nick Pope’s extraordinary run of unpolluted sheets? Howe’s England goalkeeper has not conceded a single aim in his final seven membership appearances. Aleksandar Mitrovic, recovered from a foot harm and contemporary from lacking Fulham’s win over Chelsea by suspension, had three years on Tyneside however in the end left for Fulham after proving too in poor health disciplined for Rafael Benítez. Despite this week’s suspension, Mitrovic is rather more disciplined – and fairly a bit leaner – nowadays. His 11 objectives in 15 League appearances for Fulham this season show that he has additionally matured into a particularly harmful Premier League striker. His doubtless duel with Newcastle’s star centre-half Sven Botman guarantees to show a compelling sub-plot. Louise Taylor

6) Brighton a stern check for ailing Liverpool

Roberto De Zerbi’s first match in command of Brighton was a hugely-entertaining contest with Liverpool and the Italian now welcomes Jürgen Klopp and his staff to the Amex Stadium. The corresponding fixture resulted in a 3-3 draw and such has been Brighton’s progress beneath their Italian supervisor it might come as no nice shock in the event that they have been to go one higher. Brighton go into the sport on the again of spectacular demolition jobs over Middlesbrough and Everton, whereas Liverpool have failed to win their previous two video games. An error-strewn first-half efficiency value all of them three factors at Brentford and Klopp can be keen to keep away from a repeat efficiency – it was his staff’s sluggishness out of the traps that allowed Brighton to race right into a two-goal lead at Anfield. In what guarantees to be a stern check of each staff’s mid-season mettle, victory for the Seagulls would take them to inside some extent of their guests and forged additional doubt over Liverpool’s top-four credentials. BG

7) Palace search spark to deepen Chelsea’s woes

Will a 3rd straight London derby at Selhurst Park within the high flight be fortunate for Crystal Palace? They conceded seven with out reply towards Fulham and Spurs over the vacation interval and alarm bells can be sounding much more loudly if Chelsea, beset with their very own issues, discover objectives equally simple to come by. To make issues worse, Southampton left south London with an FA Cup win final weekend, noises of discontent changing into audible. Palace might do with strengthening at each ends, as Patrick Vieira is aware of nicely, however perspective is vital too. They are twelfth and unlikely to get pulled into any type of relegation scrap. Last season they completed 14th so maybe this is progress. But there’s a distinction; Palace made their dwelling a fortress final season, shedding solely 4 instances, and have been energetic in entrance of their matchgoing followers when the large events got here round. Whether or not they deepen Chelsea’s issues, Vieira should see some spark and vitality injected rapidly if the cloud is to raise. Nick Ames

8) Potential touchline fireworks at Molineux

Only within the job a couple of moist weekends and Wolves supervisor Julen Lopetegui is already creating a popularity as a serial thrower of touchline tizzies and post-match moaning. In David Moyes he’ll come up towards the most effective within the enterprise when it comes to railing towards perceived or real injustices. With either side within the relegation scrap, any contentious selections made by officialdom both at Molineux or from behind the squinting home windows of the Stockley Park VAR bunker can be pounced upon with righteous fury. While Lopetegui solely just lately received his toes beneath the desk at Wolves, his West Ham counterpart might quickly be clearing the contents of his desk. Patience amongst West Ham followers is sporting skinny and after one league level from the previous 18 obtainable, defeat towards relegation rivals at Molineux might mark the tip of the Moyes period. BG

9) Leicester might lack leading edge to fell Forest

Separated by simply 30 miles of M1 motorway on the map and aim distinction within the league desk, Nottingham Forest tackle Leicester on the City Ground with extra at stake than bragging rights. While neither aspect is within the relegation zone, their Premier League security is much from assured however it’s Forest on an upward trajectory. Leicester have misplaced their previous three league video games, a droop that has coincided with the absence of James Maddison. The standout participant amongst a bunch of key people who’re at the moment clogging up the physio room, Maddison is nearly sure to miss this recreation and with Patson Daka and Jamie Vardy each out of kind, it’s tough to see the place any Leicester objectives will come from. Against Gillingham final weekend, Kelechi Iheanacho added one other one to his spectacular FA Cup CV to double his tally for an underwhelming season. Whether or not he can step up towards stiffer opposition than the Football League’s worst aspect stays to be seen however Brendan Rodgers desperately wants someone to begin firing with frequency in Maddison’s ongoing absence. BG

10) Brentford can climb but larger

Could Brentford make a run for Europe? Thomas Frank was eager to play that concept down after their final league recreation, the 3-1 humbling of Liverpool, however the ninth-placed Bees are in glorious kind. Victory at dwelling towards Bournemouth could be their fourth win in 5 and their unbeaten streak already stands at six; they’ve misplaced solely 4 instances, fewer than anyone exterior the Champions League spots, and look splendidly comfy in their very own skins. Opportunity knocks. The go to of Gary O’Neil’s aspect is the primary of 5 inviting dwelling assignments between now and mid-March, Fulham the one top-half opponents amongst them. This is a effective probability to assert their credentials. Brentford are, as Frank pointed out, solely ever a couple of key accidents away from issues however look tightly-drilled as anybody within the league. Their supervisor is doing a exceptional job in avoiding any semblance of second-season syndrome and the perfect could also be but to come.