1
Liverpool’s depth at back gets test
Jürgen Klopp completely revamped his Liverpool midfield in the summer by getting four new faces through the door, but might a lack of defensive depth prove their undoing this season? Virgil van Dijk’s absence didn’t do them much harm last time out when they dismantled Aston Villa 3-0, but his suspension – for the red card he received in the previous game at Newcastle – has been elongated by a further game, meaning Joe Gomez and Joël Matip could be paired together again at Wolves. Gary O’Neil hardly boasts the sharpest attack in the league, but his team are now finding goals a little easier to come by, with certified big man Sasa Kalajdzic finally slotting in after last season’s injury. Liverpool’s Europa League commitments kick in next week, so the Saturday lunchtime kick-off isn’t quite the curse it might otherwise have been for Klopp after an international break; his players will need all the rest they can get. Dominic Booth
- Wolves v Liverpool, Saturday 12.30pm (all times BST)
Ibrahima Konaté embraces Wataru Endo during a training session on Thursday. Photograph: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC/Getty Images
2
Crucial time for Ten Hag’s United
With Erik ten Hag in desperate firefighting mode, Manchester United’s home fixture with Brighton hardly makes the Red Adair act easier. But though Jadon Sancho’s future remains unclear, Antony is unavailable due to a leave of absence, and Mason Mount, Raphaël Varane, Tyrell Malacia and Kobbie Mainoo are injured while Lisandro Martínez and Sofyan Amrabat are doubts, Roberto De Zerbi’s carousel-passing team offer a perfect challenge. Correct? Well, it should be because despite Brighton’s eye-catching last result – the 3-1 defeat of Newcastle – this is the task of every United manager: to recover from reverses and mould serial-winning sides. Yet if his team go down to a third loss from five Premier League games, Ten Hag can expect serious questions about where this season is heading. Jamie Jackson
- Manchester United v Brighton, Saturday 3pm
3
Manchester City get Paquetá taste
But for an untimely revelation about the Football Association looking into a breach of betting regulations, Lucas Paquetá would have been lining up for Manchester City rather than West Ham on Saturday. Pep Guardiola wanted the Brazilian to fill the hole left in his midfield by the departure of Ilkay Gündoğan and the deal was close to going through before the investigation brought it to a halt. The clubs had agreed a fee and Paquetá was ready to move. He did not think he would be lining up against City. But West Ham have managed to hold on to one of their most important players and Paquetá, who has been in fine form this season, will not be short of motivation when the champions visit the London Stadium. City, who signed Matheus Nunes instead, will be wary of West Ham’s No 10. Jacob Steinberg
- West Ham v Manchester City, Saturday 3pm
Lucas Paqueta in action against Brighton – the Brazilian will be keen to show Pep Guardiola what he missed out on. Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Action Images/Reuters
4
How the ‘main man’ performs
James Maddison returns from England duty with his reputation enhanced, though not because of his performances; he was unremarkable in an unfamiliar left-sided role against Ukraine. A press conference declaration of being the “main man” at Sunday roasts was perhaps the most intriguing thing to come from their matches and, though whatever he meant by that remains opaque, should he return to his club form, expect a deluge of puntastic headlines – “different gravy”, “prime cut” and so on.. Maddison has been what his new club so obviously needed once the Harry Kane saga came to its end, a player with both charisma and the confidence of his manager, Ange Postecoglou – perhaps another whose prowess with a carving knife and seasoning of root vegetables ought not to be questioned. Kicking off in second place, playing the expressive football Spurs fans craved during the dark days of Nuno Espírito Santo and Antonio Conte, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium feels a happy place for the first time in ages. John Brewin
- Tottenham Hotspur v Sheffield United, Saturday 3pm
5
Will Bayern blow affect Palhinha?
João Palhinha was ready to go. He flew to Germany, posed in the kit and said yes to Bayern Munich. Only the clock stood in his way. The deadline passed and, with Fulham unable to secure a replacement for Palhinha, the midfielder’s hopes of joining Bayern went up in smoke. The only option was to return to Fulham and it will be interesting to see Palhinha’s performance when Luton visit Craven Cottage. The Portugal international, who has since signed a new contract until 2028, has been vital for Marco Silva. Fulham need Palhinha to be at his tenacious best, even if he will surely be hoping that Bayern come back for him in January. JS
- Fulham v Luton Town, Saturday 3pm
João Palhinha and Harrison Reed signed new contracts at Fulham on Thursday. Photograph: Javier García/Shutterstock
6
Which Villa will Palace face up to?
Villa’s start to the season has been scratchy; they return to action in 10th place, having been comfortably beaten by Liverpool before the international break. That mirrored an opening-day 5-1 defeat to Newcastle in that an opponent to whose level Villa aspire proved themselves vastly superior. Perhaps such results are due to the pace of change under Unai Emery and sporting director Monchi: a raft of youth products have been cashed out, led by Cameron Archer and Aaron Ramsey, while neither of flagship summer signings Youri Tielemans or Pau Torres have yet taken flight. At Anfield, Tyrone Mings, out for the season, was especially missed, with Torres looking nervous amid Liverpool’s speed of movement and, though Crystal Palace present a different and far less relentless challenge, their 3-2 win over Wolves showed that once Eberechi Eze finds his stride, the forwards around him will step up their threat accordingly. JB
- Aston Villa v Crystal Palace, Saturday 3pm
7
Crunch Newcastle run begins
Newcastle lost only five league games last season, but they have already suffered three defeats in four this term. If reverses to Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton hardly suggest calamity is imminent, the next four fixtures should offer an insight into the current state of Eddie Howe’s team. Saturday’s meeting with Brentford at St James’ Park is followed by a trip to Sheffield United, a home date with Burnley and a visit to West Ham. Given that, in between those matches, Newcastle must play Milan at San Siro and entertain PSG in the Champions League, while also hosting Manchester City in the Carabao Cup, the period between now and October’s international break should reveal the strength in depth of Howe’s squad – not to mention the manager’s rotational abilities. And, in the immediate term, Tynesiders are wondering whether the suddenly heavily scrutinised Howe will find a starting place in his expensive but recently poorly calibrated midfield for Sean Longstaff. Louise Taylor
- Newcastle v Brentford, Saturday 5.30pm
8
Pochettino needs killer touch
The world is waiting for Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea to click; Todd Boehly, he of the £1bn transfer spend and all that, is expecting it to. You cannot help but wonder how long Pochettino will live in the owner’s crosshairs if results don’t pick up. Tottenham’s former head coach has always been about the “project” and although he’s got youth aplenty within his Stamford Bridge ranks, he needs to alleviate the pressure in the short term after banana skin defeats to West Ham and Nottingham Forest. The xG merchants believe Chelsea are showing the right signs, arguing that they’ve been unfortunate in their opening four games and the aesthetics are good. But Pochettino needs a ruthless Raheem Sterling to show England what they were missing in the internationals; he needs Nicolas Jackson to develop a killer touch in front of goal; he needs Mykhailo Mudryk to do … something. Anyway, it’s been a long time since Chelsea were a winning machine whose forwards plundered goals come rain or shine and, while Pochettino is never going to be José Mourinho or Antonio Conte, an ugly win on the south coast would be priceless. DB
- Bournemouth v Chelsea, Sunday 2pm
Mykhailo Mudryk with the ball in training. Photograph: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC/Getty Images
9
Beto gives Dyche hope for Arsenal test
Sean Dyche started his Everton reign with a 1-0 win over a title-challenging Arsenal seven months ago and could dearly do with a repeat after collecting one point from what had appeared, on paper at least, a relatively kind opening four fixtures of the season (Aston Villa away being the notable exception). The recent arrival of Beto from Udinese, in a £26m deal that allows Everton to pay the first installment in the next financial year, has stirred hope of much-needed improvement. The powerful Portuguese forward has made only two appearances for his new club so far but already endeared himself to weary Evertonians by providing Dyche’s team with the focal point it needs, plus the hunger and determination it has sorely lacked. Beto faces a stern challenge on his Goodison Park debut against an Arsenal side seeking to build on their dramatic late victory over Manchester United last time out, but the early indications suggest he will relish it. Andy Hunter
- Everton v Arsenal, Sunday 4.30pm
10
An away-day lift for Burnley?
Rock bottom with no points from three matches, Vincent Kompany’s Burnley have found champagne football in the Championship can represent small beer in the Premier League. How long might Kompany stick with Burnley’s attacking style? Matchessuch as Forest away are likely to determine that. In mitigation, their fixture list has been unkind, with Manchester City, Aston Villa and Tottenham the first visitors to Turf Moor. For their first away game, Burnley return to the City Ground, where Zeki Amdouni’s last-minute goal secured Carabao Cup progress a fortnight ago – though both Kompany and Steve Cooper are likely to field very different teams. The Welshman, who pulled off a 1-0 coup at Chelsea last time out, is a manager who achieved survival last season by mixing pragmatism with attacking principles, while remaining unruffled by extraneous chaos. And in Callum Hudson-Odoi – bought to replace Brennan Johnson and with whom he won a World Cup for England Under-17s – he has signed a talented player who has needed a new challenge for quite some time. JB
- Nottingham Forest v Burnley, Monday 7.45pm
Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts
—|—|—|—|—
1 | Man City | 4 | 9 | 12
2 | Tottenham Hotspur | 4 | 7 | 10
3 | Liverpool | 4 | 6 | 10
4 | West Ham | 4 | 5 | 10
5 | Arsenal | 4 | 4 | 10
6 | Brighton | 4 | 6 | 9
7 | Crystal Palace | 4 | 1 | 7
8 | Brentford | 4 | 3 | 6
9 | Nottm Forest | 4 | 0 | 6
10 | Aston Villa | 4 | -1 | 6
11 | Man Utd | 4 | -2 | 6
12 | Chelsea | 4 | 0 | 4
13 | Fulham | 4 | -6 | 4
14 | Newcastle | 4 | 0 | 3
15 | Wolverhampton | 4 | -4 | 3
16 | AFC Bournemouth | 4 | -4 | 2
17 | Sheff Utd | 4 | -3 | 1
18 | Everton | 4 | -6 | 1
19 | Luton | 3 | -7 | 0
20 | Burnley | 3 | -8 | 0
*[Pos]: Position
*[P]: Played
*[GD]: Goal difference
*[Pts]: Points
