Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend
1) Moreno at forefront of Emery revolution
People are no longer ignoring the massive turnaround Unai Emery has performed at Villa Park. There were not many personnel changes in January: the teenage striker Jhon Durán was signed from Chicago Fire, Bertrand Traoré was recalled from loan at Istanbul Basaksehir and, most important, Alex Moreno joined from Real Betis. Lucas Digne has been deposed from the defence and Villa have only lost twice in Moreno’s 15 appearances, with the Spaniard quickly becoming integral to the system. He is popular off the pitch, too, ingratiating himself with fans with a recent interview in English, smiling throughout despite not yet having a full mastery of the language. Moreno will enjoy the prospect of facing Antony, which will be a key battle with the Villa man keen to test the Brazilian’s defence as well as attack. Will Unwin
Manchester United v Aston Villa, Sunday 2pm (all times BST)
2) Smith v Dyche in game they cannot lose
It is hard to shake the feeling that if there is a loser in this match that team will be staring at the end of the road when it comes to their top-flight status. Time is running out to escape the drop. Bournemouth and Wolves provide shining examples of teams given a shot in the arm by a new manager and Dean Smith must hope he can mirror the impact of Gary O’Neil and Julen Lopetegui, respectively. Victory for Leicester would give Smith a hugely credible seven points from a possible nine since defeat at Manchester City in his opening game. Similarly, Sean Dyche badly needs to give Everton some hope to cling on to, with Thursday’s hammering at home to Newcastle the latest low. There is no denying the magnitude of the occasion at the King Power Stadium. Ben Fisher
Leicester v Everton, Monday 8pm 3) Timid Leeds need to find fight
After their trip to the Vitality Stadium, Leeds face Manchester City at the Etihad, so they will be desperate to get a win at Bournemouth. Things are very tight at the bottom and two more wins for any side could provide their salvation. Leeds took the lead against Leicester in midweek but rarely looked comfortable with it. Having conceded 11 in their previous two home games, there is reason to be trepidatious. Javi Gracia needs superior game management from his players and a calming influence to keep everything together. They like to sit deep and that invites the opposition on. As West Ham showed last week, a pressing game can reap rewards against Bournemouth, who struggled to cope with the Hammers in midfield. Whether Leeds have the confidence to play that way is another question: two midfielders sitting deep and Jack Harrison, Brenden Aaronson and Luis Sinisterra pressing could be the best route towards safety. WU
Bournemouth v Leeds, Sunday 2pm 4) A lament for Saturday 3pm games
Newcastle have not staged a 3pm Saturday kick-off at St James’ Park in 2023 and will not this season. In one sense that represents a positive – television executives are so enamoured with Eddie Howe’s side they scramble to book up their matches – but it is also an enormous shame. There remains something special about Saturday 3pm games – and they are a lot more fan-friendly, particularly if you are an away supporter, than 8pm on a Monday night or 4.30pm on a Sunday. Southampton fans can perhaps count themselves relatively lucky to have a 2pm Sunday start, offering realistic travel options. But for those who do not travel by the supporters’ coaches, which depart St Mary’s at 5am on Sunday, the return choices are: the 6.55pm flight from Newcastle airport (one hour to Southampton but the last seats were selling at £272 on Thursday), the 5pm train from Newcastle central station (six hours and two changes with off-peak single seats selling at £198.90, although those who bought in advance could have paid a “bargain” £94.30 single rate) or drive (332 miles to St Mary’s and a minimum of six hours). Louise Taylor
Newcastle v Southampton, Sunday 2pm
5) No let-up for Forest now
Nottingham Forest were spiralling towards the Championship until they caught Brighton, perhaps bruised by their Wembley near miss, on an offnight. Now fresh life has been breathed into their relegation battle but the result will need backing up when they visit a similarly revitalised Brentford. Thomas Frank’s side may have had to park any realistic thoughts of Europe but looked far from demotivated in winning at Chelsea: they have already surpassed last season’s points total and their model is one that Forest, should they stay up, might usefully pursue if they want a less hair-raising campaign next time around. “Where we are now is impressive and every point we get now will be more impressive,” said Frank, who sounded like a man intent on making sure the Bees have cemented a top-half place a month from now. Forest can expect to be matched for guts regardless of their greater need: Steve Cooper will need to see bundles of wit and guile from his players, as displayed on Wednesday night, if their getaway is to gather pace. Nick Ames
Brentford v Nottingham Forest, Saturday 3pm 6) Wolves have time to plan ahead
Under Julen Lopetegui, Wolves have transformed into a functional and confident team, two traits lacking before the World Cup break. The former Spain and Real Madrid coach has an impressive CV but the Wolves job looked a tough one. Lopetegui has, however, proved himself an adaptable coach. There were some smart additions in January that allowed him to play the formation and style he preferred but he has also got the best out of those struggling under his predecessor. Wolves are almost certainly safe and Lopetegui can plan for next season in the Premier League in the final five matches. One fringe player who is yet to find consistency since his arrival is
Pablo Sarabia. The Spain international started the season alongside Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar, so has great pedigree. Now the pressure is somewhat alleviated, Sarabia may feel free at Wolves and prove to the fans what he can offer them from the wing going forth. WU
Brighton v Wolves, Saturday 3pm 7) Any way for Fulham to stop Haaland?
Arsenal could do with a favour from a former Manchester City player. If Tosin Adarabioyo starts in central defence for Fulham on Sunday he will have the unenviable honour of trying to get in Erling Haaland’s way. Adarabioyo is an elegant, improving defender and he has been a good signing since joining from City in 2020. But, assuming he gets the nod over Issa Diop, the 25-year-old will need the performance of his life against his old side. Haaland was in devastating form against Arsenal on Wednesday, bullying Rob Holding, and his goals look like powering City to the title. He could be just too quick and strong for Fulham’s defence. Jacob Steinberg
Fulham v Manchester City, Sunday 2pm 8) Richards eyes chance to prove worth
Chris Richards made his first appearance under Roy Hodgson at Wolves in midweek. He started the match at full-back and finished it in central defence. The American has made only nine league appearances since his summer move from Bayern Munich because of the form of Joachim Andersen and Marc Guéhi, coupled with injury problems. He suffered the disappointment of missing the World Cup but has recovered physically from the leg issue that ruled him out. Before Molineux, he was last seen for eight minutes away to Brentford in mid-February, before five matches as an unused substitute. Despite his lack of minutes in recent months, he was able to complete the 90 against Wolves. Aged 23 and shown to be adaptable, Richards looks as if he could be an important member of the Palace defence for years to come and this could finally be the time to take his chance with a run of games at the end of the season. WU
Crystal Palace v West Ham, Saturday 12.30pm
9) Where Spurs go from here
There is a way for Tottenham to demonstrate they do possess some substance and it is not with the token gesture of reimbursing those fans who endured last weekend’s gutless humiliation at Newcastle. Nor is it via an improvement in front of a home crowd against Manchester United in Ryan Mason’s first game of his second spell as caretaker manager. That was the minimum requirement for a team that were seemingly equipped to improve on last season’s fourth-placed finish when the campaign began. It is by going back on the road again, to another hostile environment and in-form opponent with European qualification on its mind, and delivering a performance as far removed as possible from St James’ Park. That will serve as a more genuine apology from Spurs’ players to their travelling support. Few might expect victory at Anfield, a ground where Spurs have won once in the league in 30 years, but a show of commitment, organisation and desire would be a start. Andy Hunter
Liverpool v Tottenham, Sunday 4.30pm
10) Eyes beyond the prize
With Manchester City likely to claim a fifth title in six years, now seems a sensible time to wonder where English football is going. The deployment of clubs to further the geopolitical ends of human rights-abusing nation-states is a miserable situation, because no supporter should ever have to wonder whether their lifelong affiliation has become morally unjustifiable; what the point of it all is. The game should have been protected against this by the FA, the Premier League and the UK government, but dazzled by mammon, they did nothing, and we now seem tohave a proxy for the Qatari royal family trying to buy Manchester United. This should bother everyone, for two reasons: first, the prospect of the country’s richest club backed by an unlimited exchequer could ruin whatever vestige of competitiveness remains, and second, if Qatar are allowed to own two clubs – United and PSG – who might contest the same competition – the Champions League – what’s to stop them owning everything? Daniel Harris
player will be out of contract in June of next year. United are wary of dealing with Levy and they are dead against a protracted summer chase. Kane has said nothing about a Spurs contract extension and intends to take stock at the end of the season.
“I heard what they were saying,” Kane said of the United supporters’ chant. “But I’m just focused on this team and trying to finish [the season] strongly.”
On one level, it had to have been nice for Kane to hear it. Everybody likes to feel wanted and respected. But on another, it perhaps reinforced the delicacy of Kane’s situation. He loves Spurs and has given his professional life to them. But as he approaches his 30th birthday in July, he wants to ensure that he competes at Champions League level and has a chance of finally winning silverware.
Can Kane do that at Spurs? The evidence of this season is an obvious no. But can he get out? He was blocked from doing so two summers ago when Manchester City tried to sign him. And, even though his contract is now much shorter, there is nothing to suggest that he will be granted a move.
When the United fans bellowed their chant, which was also in part to taunt the home crowd, Kane could have been excused a sigh. Spurs were 1-0 down and being overrun. They looked inhibited, dropping off United, inviting them to play. Although Spurs created a couple of chances, they gave up many more and the half-time scoreline could have been heavier than 2-0.
There were anti-Levy chants from the South Stand and boos upon the half-time whistle but overall the mood was one of resignation. Spurs were at another low ebb, albeit not as low as that during last Sunday’s 6-1 hammering at Newcastle, the nadir of a crisis that had been weeks in the making, which Kane traces to the 3-3 draw at Southampton on 18 March, from 3-1 up. That was when the team conceded two late goals and Antonio Conte publicly eviscerated the players.
Conte would leave his post as manager a week or so later and since then we have had the home support abusing one of their own players (Davinson Sánchez in the 3-2 loss to Bournemouth); the departure of the managing director of football, Fabio Paratici, over the financial scandal at his previous club, Juventus; the replacement of one interim manager with another (Cristian Stellini out, Ryan Mason in) and the stalling of the push for a top-four finish. After the Newcastle debacle, the players felt moved to reimburse the travelling fans for the cost of their tickets.
All of which made what happened in the second half against United so remarkable, the comeback to salvage a 2-2 draw such a show of personality and togetherness, nobody hiding. The home crowd had not really got on the players’ backs in the first half; they did not react badly to United’s early goal. Their target was Levy. But once Spurs got on the front foot after the interval, the fans had something to get behind and they did. With Kane outstanding, Spurs roared back with goals from Pedro Porro and Son Heung-min.
“I thought the fans were amazing,” Kane said. “They really helped us in that second half. That’s the character and fight we have to show between now and the end of the season and it was good to hear the stadium rocking.”
Kane said it was “quite calm” in the dressing room at half-time. Mason made tactical tweaks, mainly to stop the United midfield from enjoying such easy possession; to get Spurs higher up the pitch.
The real reset had come on Monday morning, when Levy summoned the squad’s senior players for a clearthe-air meeting. He had already decided to sack Stellini and replace him with Mason. The talks with Kane, Hugo Lloris, Eric Dier and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg were an attempt to draw a line under the chaos.
“The chairman asked for a meeting,” Kane said. “It was important [for him] to understand where the players’ heads were at. It wasn’t just the Newcastle result. It had been building up since we conceded the two goals against Southampton.
“It was an honest conversation of where everyone is at and what we need to try to do to give us the best possible chance to finish the season with something. We’re still fighting for fourth place but if it’s not fourth we’ll try to finish fifth or sixth. In this league, it’s so competitive you can easily end up eighth or ninth if you’re not careful. That’s what it was – to give us the best chance.”
Spurs go to Liverpool on Sunday when belief and bravery will again be needed. They would appear, at least, to have recovered a platform.