Eight speaking factors forward of the Premier League weekend, that includes Arsenal’s over-reliance on Bukayo Saka, self-sabotaging Spurs, and a brand new supervisor at Southampton.Villa Park unlikely to supply Metropolis solace
Pep Guardiola admitted Manchester Metropolis’s struggles are getting ‘worse and worse’ after a dramatic derby defeat final weekend. Their late loss to Manchester United on the Etihad prolonged their run to at least one win in 11 video games throughout all competitions and 5 defeats of their final seven league video games.
The fixture listing has not been sort to Guardiola as he seems to show across the struggling champions. Aston Villa are their hosts in Saturday’s difficult lunchtime slot. Metropolis haven’t gained on their final two visits to the venue and arrive as a shadow of the aspect of previous campaigns. Points in midfield may have additions to handle and Unai Emery will wish to capitalise on Metropolis’s present considerations. Amadou Onana’s space-eating working and the vitality of John McGinn and Boubacar Kamara may see Villa overrun a Metropolis aspect that look aged.
Ipswich’s hunt for a house win continues
Final weekend’s win at Wolves has breathed new life into Ipswich’s survival combat, however The Tractor Boys want extra in entrance of their followers to outlive. Kieran McKenna’s staff are the one aspect within the Premier League with no dwelling win as we strategy Christmas.
Having excelled at dwelling of their Championship and League One promotion campaigns, Ipswich have didn’t get occurring dwelling soil within the high tier. Respectable attracts towards the likes of Fulham, Manchester United and Aston Villa have helped their trigger, however McKenna’s males want to start out turning stalemates into successes.
Newcastle are the guests this weekend, a aspect which have hit kind over the previous week. Nonetheless, the Magpies have been inconsistent on the highway and have gained simply one among their final six Premier League away video games.
West Ham want Fullkrug to ship
When West Ham signed Niclas Fullkrug in the summertime, there was a wave of pleasure. A Champions League finalist final season and glorious at Euro 2024, it was the type of addition that bought supporters speaking. Fullkrug, nevertheless, has had a gradual begin. He’s but to start out a Premier League sport and solely just lately returned from an Achilles harm that sidelined him for 3 months.
Now again to full health, he scored off the bench towards Leicester earlier this month and Julen Lopetegui wants handy the German a begin. Michail Antonio’s automobile crash has left the Hammers with out presence within the last third and Fullkrug is able to providing an answer. He may lack mobility and tempo, however is definitely a handful contained in the penalty space. If West Ham can present the appropriate service, he can rating objectives.
Are Arsenal over-reliant on Bukayo Saka?
Bukayo Saka continues to go from power to power in an Arsenal shirt however is the winger’s growth creating an over-reliance on his service? Saka has 15 aim involvements from 15 video games this season, leads the league for assists, and has once more underlined his standing as one among Europe’s best wingers.
Nonetheless, is Arsenal’s dedication to get Saka on the ball making the Gunners predictable? When it comes to attacking patterns, no aspect within the Premier League targets assaults down the appropriate aspect greater than Arsenal (45%). It’s the best share of positional play within the division, forward of Nottingham Forest (44% – left) and Bournemouth (42% – left). With neither Gabriel Martinelli nor Leandro Trossard producing output to compete with Saka, is the addition of a left-sided attacker required so as to add versatility to the membership’s assault?
Bukayo Saka has registered 22 aim contributions throughout all competitions this season.
Solely Mo Salah has extra amongst Premier League gamers 👏
Dyche should present new homeowners he’s the appropriate man for Everton
Everton’s takeover uncertainty is over after The Friedkin Group’s acquisition of the membership was accomplished this week. New homeowners provide new hope for the Toffees, even when there was no assure of funds being made obtainable for January additions. For Sean Dyche and several other of his squad, the upcoming interval represents an audition to the brand new possession. The Friedkin Group have confirmed themselves to be trigger-happy of their time at AS Roma, who’re already onto their third supervisor of the 2024/25 marketing campaign. Dyche shall be effectively conscious that the brand new homeowners aren’t averse to creating daring calls if outcomes are to not customary.
Is Juric the person to repair self-imploding Saints?
Southampton sacked Russell Martin after final weekend’s horror present towards Spurs, the ultimate nail within the head coach’s coffin. Ivan Juric is ready to take cost, contemporary from being sacked at Roma lower than two months after taking cost.
So what is going to the Croatian convey? Juric’s sides have shone in a man-marking system that implements a excessive press, the place he consolidated Hellas Verona and Torino within the high half of Serie A. Beneath his administration, the likes of Alessandro Buongiono, Bremer, Wilfried Singo, and Amir Rrahmani all emerged as sought-after defenders and the event of these names affords hope to a Saints aspect that has leaked objectives badly in 2024/25 thus far.
Southampton followers have each motive to be enthusiastic about Ivan Juric.
Loves heavy metallic music, ruthless along with his model of soccer, man for man urgent, makes groups defensively resolute utilizing workhorse like gamers, overperforms on assets.
Hellas Verona and Torino know.
Unal might help finish Bournemouth’s wastefulness
Bournemouth have flown beneath the radar to climb into the Premier League’s high six and prolonged their unbeaten run to 4 league video games towards West Ham final day out. Enes Unal got here off the bench to fireplace in a implausible free-kick equaliser, per week after scoring one other equaliser in its place within the late win at Ipswich.
The Turkey worldwide has struggled for alternative since arriving at Bournemouth however has recorded seven objectives and assists in simply 535 minutes of motion. Averaging a aim involvement each 76 minutes, Unal has confirmed himself as a reliable choice within the last third. With Bournemouth possessing the most important xG underperformance within the Premier League this season (-11.06) it’s maybe time to extend his minutes.
Self-sabotaging Spurs cannot be so careless
Spurs progressed into the Carabao Cup semi-finals on Thursday however what seemed like a routine win rapidly changed into a nerve-jangling one. Three objectives up and cruising towards Manchester United, two terrible errors from Fraser Forster handed the guests hope. Ange Postecoglou’s aspect finally prevailed in a seven-goal thriller, however this was a conflict that was nearer than it wanted to be.
“Are you not entertained? I do know the studio might be stepping into a meltdown over my lack of techniques” 😅
Ange Postecoglou reacts after a Carabao Cup traditional towards Man United 🎙️
It adopted the squandering of two-goal results in Brighton and Chelsea earlier within the season, as Spurs performed themselves into hassle. Postecoglou’s ideas are what makes his aspect arguably the perfect watch within the Premier League, however there are occasions when widespread sense is required – significantly within the absence of key personnel. Forster’s footwork has by no means been his sturdy swimsuit and demanding an excessive amount of of the stand-in shot-stopper so almost value them a shot at silverware. Arne Slot’s Liverpool are unlikely to let Spurs off the hook so simply this weekend.
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