Irish Daily Mail

What’s the biggest question for YOUR team to answer?

- DANIEL MATTHEWS

ARSENAL

AHEAD of last season’s north London derby, photograph­er Stuart MacFarlane provided Arsenal’s team talk which inspired a 3-1 win. ‘I f***ing love all of you,’ he said. Which of Mikel Arteta’s staff members can follow that?

ASTON VILLA

THEIR win over Southampto­n was so uninspirin­g that John McGinn admitted he would have turned off the telly. But it was a second league win and Steven Gerrard needs to rebuild momentum. Can Villa lay down another building block at Leeds on Sunday?

BOURNEMOUT­H

GARY O’NEIL was handed the reins and his first task was to pick through the debris of a 9-0 defeat. He has since overseen two draws and a victory. What will be enough to convince the club’s new owners he deserves the job?

BRENTFORD

IVAN TONEY returns from his maiden England

call-up without having secured a first cap. That could spell bad news for Bournemout­h on Saturday: can Toney make a point to Gareth Southgate?

BRIGHTON

TOUGH job following Graham Potter. Even tougher when your first match is against Liverpool at Anfield. Good luck, Roberto De Zerbi. The Italian sees a lot of similariti­es with his predecesso­r. Will this be evolution or revolution?

CHELSEA

THREE weeks have passed since Chelsea hired Potter, yet his new era has been confined to a 1-1 draw with Salzburg. Will Saturday at Palace bring the first signs of his impact behind the scenes?

CRYSTAL PALACE

SINCE October 2017, Palace have lost all nine league games against Chelsea — only against Liverpool (10) have they lost more matches on the spin. Can they stop the rot on Saturday?

EVERTON

A FIRST goal from Neal Maupay brought Everton their first league win of the season before the internatio­nal break, but Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s imminent return from injury remains crucial for their prospects. Can he rediscover his best under Frank Lampard?

FULHAM

HOW to plug a hole shaped like Joao Palhinha? The powerful midfielder has been pivotal for Fulham but will be suspended against Newcastle on Saturday.

LEEDS UNITED

PATRICK BAMFORD’S hopes of making England’s World Cup squad seem to have faded. But after more injury woe, the 29-yearold looks set to return for Leeds against Aston Villa on Sunday. Can Jesse Marsch keep him fit — and get him firing once more?

LEICESTER CITY

THE tea leaves make for mixed reading for Brendan Rodgers. Over the past decade, three teams have been bottom after seven matches and avoided relegation — but all three changed their manager in the process. Stick or twist?

LIVERPOOL

LUIS SUAREZ spent several seasons digging Liverpool out of holes. Has he just helped another Uruguay forward clamber out of his? Suarez created Darwin Nunez’s first goal in nearly two months against Canada. Will that end his false start on Merseyside?

MANCHESTER CITY

IT HAS been a while since City enjoyed backto-back home wins over United. 2014, in fact. Their run in the eight seasons since then? LDLWLLLW. Can Pep Guardiola end that run?

MANCHESTER UTD

LISANDRO MARTINEZ was too small. Then he was United’s player of the month. Now he’s compared to Roy Keane. Next up? Erling Haaland. They have met once before: Martinez won 4-0. Will he stop Haaland’s stampede again?

NEWCASTLE UTD

NOT since joining Newcastle has Eddie Howe gone six league matches without a win. Until now. The manager has credit in the bank, but can the fit-again Callum Wilson help him end that run?

NOTTINGHAM FOREST

LOSE at Leicester and Steve Cooper’s side will sit bottom after five straight defeats. It can’t be easy bedding in 22 new signings, but inevitably you wonder: come their next splurge, will he still be in charge?

SOUTHAMPTO­N

ANOTHER loan for Ainsley Maitland-Niles and, so far, another round of teething problems. The versatile 25-year-old has played just 17 minutes this season, with Ralph Hasenhuttl admitting he has ‘a lot of work to do’. Will it finally come right this time?

TOTTENHAM

AFTER eight matches without a goal, Son Heungmin has five in three: a hat-trick for Spurs followed by two for South Korea. The catalyst? Antonio Conte benching him against Leicester. Has Son timed this run perfectly for the derby?

WEST HAM

TOMAS SOUCEK made a fine start to life at West Ham but his performanc­es have been on the wane for a while. Can someone in east London find a new recipe for potato salad, the midfielder’s typical fuel?

WOLVES

A TREAT awaits Wolves fans at West Ham: Diego Costa is in line for his debut. At 33, his scoring prowess may be fading, but what remains of his powers of mischief?

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