After the devastating death news last Thursday that Queen Elizabeth had died, finally football gets a chance to pay tribute to our longest reigning monarch. Not all scheduled fixtures are being played understandably but I am sure all those in attendance this weekend will offer poignant respect to the royal family in the form of a minutes silence for our Queen and singing the national anthem in honour of King Charles.
The football kicks off on Friday night with two games involving sides who want to push away from the bottom half of the table and one surprisingly l higher than expected.
Aston Villa v Southampton
A major question leading into this game will be if Villa have lost the momentum gained from the City result after last weekend’s postponement. The international break is a rocky time for managers/head coaches under the microscope, this match is must win for Steven Gerrard. A strong selection of replacements like Tuchel and Pochutino for example are out on the market, the Aston Villa owners expect to be higher up the table challenging for European qualification slots. The first thirty minutes will be key, Southamptons youthful lineup will spring out piling pressure onto the home team, if the Holte End can be kept onside and be buoyed by some attempts or dare I say a goal then I fully expect a Villa win. Matty Cash will need to be very resolute as he faces a unpredictable winger in the form of Samuel Edozie, this young talent can float past defenders either inside or out and if the Polish international neglects his defensive duties Mings and Konsa will be exposed.
Player to Watch – Ollie Watkins
Picked out on MOTD recently as being vital for Villa to turn around the poor start to the campaign, this Friday night seems as a good a time as ever to score a couple and gain the three points against a inconsistent Southampton before the international break commences.
Nottingham Forest v Fulham
The Forest side facing Fulham is unrecognisable from the Championship encounters last season, it’s been a mix bag of results for the hosts and like their last home game they will view this as a good chance to win. Bournemouth staged a miraculous comeback that day, it showed up Steve Coopers unit do not have the team spirit yet which is not a surprise with so many additions. This will be the first Premier League game between the clubs, the stars for either side come from different spectrums as last seasons Championship top scorer Mitrovic who is still widely maligned will look to continue his impressive scoring run but Man Utd loanee Dean Henderson has also been awesome, his form should propel him onto the plane to the World Cup in November. Jesse Lingard has linked up well at times with Morgan Gibbs White but the end product is now needed, so many top flight sides look pretty outside the penalty box but do not penetrate the goal enough.
Player to Watch – Neco Williams
The former Fulham loanee will be targeted like so many right side defenders this season. Mitrovic peels off to the back post when crosses come in from his right flank so the Welshman needs to be alert, strong and aided by his more dominant aerially centre backs. If Williams can survive the defensive onslaught his confidence will grow and then his attacking skillset may become match winning for Forest. He is very clever sneaking forward plus can deliver top drawer delivery from set pieces.
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester City
City normally would rotate after a Champions League game in the week but after having no game last weekend plus the international break pending it seems certain Pep will name his strongest line up. Moulineux raises the noise for big games and they will need to capture the spirit from the last home win over the dominate City back in Dec 2019. One of the survivors from that night Adama Troare has not got started yet this season but his special blend of Olympic sprinter pace and WWE wrestler physique causes opponents problems, if he finds some form only Kyle Walker for the visitors will be able to counter his threat. Max Kilman rightfully should be aggrieved a England call has not arrived, how he handles Haaland on Saturday is a great time to show Gareth Southgate what he is missing out on. Jack Grealish and Kalvin Phillips on the other hand should consider themselves lucky they are involved with England, it’s a major doubt they will gain any game time on Saturday.
Player to Watch – Daniel Podence
The Portuguese livewire always finds himself in dangerous positions in and around the box, if the Black Country outfit are to gain any positive result he will need to finish the chances created. If Bernardo Silva does leave City next summer Podence would be a ideal replacement, he would shine if given a chance at a bigger club like former Wolfe Jota does now at Liverpool.
Newcastle United v Bournemouth
The Eddie Howe Bowl is the only 3pm kick off on Saturday and should be very one sided in the favour of the hosts. Despite Howes former side gaining a win last time out, it’s hard to see how they will threaten a water tight Newcastle defence and cope with the numerous dynamic forwards on show. Isak has taken to the Premier League so well and it’s no surprise as his skills line up better in England than Spain. A healthy scrap will occur in midfield between two nimble giants in the form of Billing and Joelinton, their battle will not decide the game though just a fun sideshow. This will be the last game for Gary O’Neil in charge but he has offered a showing so far that should mean a future management role lower in the pyramid for a progressive club.
Player to Watch – Dan Burn
The giant defender should be able to dominate Solanke or Moore when the ball is in the air but his ability on the ball should prove equally important. Possession for the hosts will be high so the centre backs will take on a role of quarterback, Burn will end up passing the ball a great deal between the lines to his wingers so they can penetrate Bournemouth’s penalty box. As always his threat attacking corners offensively will cause countless nightmares for opposing defenders too.
Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City
Spurs have not hit top gear yet but continue to squeak out results, defensively they are rock solid which is great base for players like Kane or Richarlison to snatch match winning goals. Emerson Royal has struggled and is not well liked by his own fans so Doherty or Spence could be given a chance to claim the right wingback role. On form this seems like a mountain to climb for Brendan Rodgers men but Leicester possess some quality players who have shown over the years they can hurt any Premier League team. Johnny Evans needs to organise his backline, this has not occurred so far this season and his place going forward is under threat. Recalled England man Eric Dier has showed us all that form is temporary but class is permanent, former United man Evans needs to follow that lead. Sporting Lisbon in the week displayed how you contain and defeat Spurs, bide your time and devastate at the optimum moment, Leicester have to replicate that blueprint.
Player to Watch – Harvey Barnes
His direct running style plus being able to use either foot will keep the Tottenham fullbacks on the back foot. A Leicester player needs to take the season by the scruff of the neck, why not Barnes? He has become a forgotten Premier League star due to injuries over the last eighteen months, he can take the talisman role from Jamie Vardy if he can stay fit for a prolonged period.
Brentford v Arsenal
The Gtech Community Stadium never fails to produce classic games on TV, this rerun of the opening game from last season should be no different. Jesus leading the line for Arsenal has been the catalyst for their table topping form, his energy and drive links the attacking patterns for Artetas team. New England player Ivan Toney holds the same importance for Brentford, the attacks flow through him but also his ability to defend corners for his team is priceless, their issue this term from set pieces has been he cannot do it all! The returning Ajer and Pinnock will solidify the hosts at the back especially the Norwegian Ajer who’s pace rivals many defenders in the league. Arsenals best hope is to stop the home side scoring for as long as possible, they showed against Man Utd if they let their hosts penetrate the net, home support can rattle them. A overlooked match up will see Rico Henry look to expose Ben Whites pedestrian full back ability, both are unlucky to miss the cut for the England squad, surely White being a good clubman playing out of position has cost him.
Player to Watch – Granit Xhaka
This game will be won by the more dominant engine room in and out of possession. The Swiss international needs to be disciplined in this battle, if he lets Janelt and co ruffle him along with the passionate home fans baying their side it would not be a surprise if Arsenal go down to ten men. As much as he could be the cause of a negative display on a positive note his ball retention in tight areas creates opportunities for his forwards to attack, this is where he can become the match winner.
Everton v West Ham United
The final game of the weekend will be a tale of how the home fans can impose themselves onto the narrative of the match. Goodson Park can be a fortress but the players need to stand up and be counted. So far only Anthony Gordon has been the attacking highlight, others need to stand to be reckoned. If another outfielder can perform on his level they may have a chance. Nathan Patterson has a great deal of promise and his matchup against Aaron Cresswell sits very favourably on his side. West Ham find themselves in a similar player form predicament, not one Hammer can say he’s had a good season so far. New signings Cornet, Paqueta and Scamacca promise a lot and in time should be key men on a weekly basis but once again club captain Declan Rice and Jarrod Bowen will need to be the inspiration. Thursdays night result and attacking form in the Conference League has to be built on by West Ham. David Moyes had a long spell in charge of Everton but the club has changed so much since his time and he seems like the sort of man who will take great pleasure pushing them nearer the Championship trapdoor this early in the season.
Player to Watch – Asmir Begovic
Jordan Pickford has been the Toffees best player and they’ve not even won a game. The Bosnian goalkeeper needs to seamlessly enter the starting line up and lead the defence towards a clean sheet. That platform should enable Gordon, Gray or Iwobi to snatch a goal and possibly the first win of the season for their team.
The blue riband games are not taking place this weekend but we should be thankful some games are and I am sure they will be electric as the Premier League always delivers.
