Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend

1 Son faces changing of the guard at Spurs

The contrast is significant. Newcastle arrive on the back of four league wins and four clean sheets. Tottenham have one victory in their last seven league games, four goals conceded against Chelsea before being hit for six by a rampaging Liverpool side. Spurs have had little trouble going forward but there remains a concern with the returns from their captain, Son Heung-min. The South Korean has had a quiet season by his excellent standards, seven goals in all competitions thus far, an eighth denied by a miss from the penalty spot against Wolves. Hamstring troubles hampered him earlier in the season and, amid Spurs’ wider difficulties, there is the subplot of a change in status within their attack. Dejan Kulusevski has become the central figure; Brennan Johnson, out on the right, is Spurs’ leading goalscorer across all competitions; Dominic Solanke is steadily finding his way. With Son approaching a decade in north London, the future is taking shape. Taha Hashim

Tottenham v Newcastle, Saturday 12.30pm (all times GMT)

2 Leicester need defensive reinforcements

Leicester have suffered four consecutive defeats but should not be too despondent, especially as that run has included visits to Anfield and St James’ Park. Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side were much improved in the defeat to Manchester City but smart January business is essential. Scoring has not been a problem – Leicester have netted more than Manchester United – but they look light at centre-back. In January 2015, the loan signing of Robert Huth helped save Leicester’s Premier League status before their remarkable title the following season. “It’s important to use my network in opportunities to strengthen the squad,” remarked Van Nistelrooy this week. Victor Lindelöf has been linked. That would be a smart play for Leicester, who could leap out of the relegation places with a win at Villa. Michael Butler

Aston Villa v Leicester, Saturday 3pm

View image in fullscreen Ruud van Nistelrooy needs to play his cards right in the transfer market. Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Action Images/Reuters

3 Kerkez in the right place at the right time

Milos Kerkez is a hot name in the January transfer window. Manchester United have been linked with the 21-year-old, who has excelled for Bournemouth. The left-back will be buoyed by the interest shown but should be wary of jumping ship too quickly. Kerkez previously made a wrong move in leaving Hungary too early and wasted a year at Milan in 2021 after taking a persuasive phone call from Paolo Maldini, never coming close to a first-team appearance in Italy. Good players can stall and sometimes ruin careers by making the wrong move. If Kerkez truly trusts in his ability, he should stay put at Europe-chasing Bournemouth under the excellent Andoni Iraola, at least until the summer, when he might have his pick of Europe’s elite clubs. MB

Bournemouth v Everton, Saturday 3pm

4 Eze eager to resume goalscoring services

Oliver Glasner described it as “the circle of football” that started when Eberechi Eze’s free-kick against Brentford just 10 minutes into the opening day of the season was harshly disallowed. Having reached double figures in the last two seasons at Crystal Palace, the England midfielder had only managed one league goal – against Saturday’s opponents Chelsea in September – during this campaign until he scored the winner against Southampton last week. Glasner will be hoping that Eze’s change of fortune can help his team to continue their upward trajectory, having not lost a game to anyone other than Arsenal since 9 November. The 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season ended a run of 14 consecutive defeats against Chelsea, with Palace aiming for a first victory over their London rivals since October 2017. Ed Aarons

Crystal Palace v Chelsea, Saturday 3pm

View image in fullscreen Eberechi Eze on the ball at home against Southampton, where he scored the winner. Photograph: Matt Impey/Shutterstock

5 Haaland can make hay against Hammers

The goalscorers the last time West Ham beat Manchester City in the Premier League? Victor Moses and Diafra Sakho delivered in a 2-1 victory at the Etihad in 2015, with Kevin De Bruyne offering a consolation in his first season at the club. It’s been a while. So the Hammers will be warmly welcomed this weekend as City try to continue their rehabilitation, a 2-0 victory over Leicester on Sunday ending a five-match winless streak in all competitions, a brief respite from a difficult December. Erling Haaland will be particularly ravenous, up against a defence obliterated by Liverpool and having scored a hat-trick against Julen Lopetegui’s strugglers at the start of the season, when things looked hunky-dory for the champions. Or perhaps, like the rest of the league, West Ham will see a side with their glitter washed off and ruin City’s new year, new me resolutions. TH

Manchester City v West Ham, Saturday 3pm

View image in fullscreen Erling Haaland helped his side back to winning ways last weekend. Photograph: Paul Bonser/Action Plus/Shutterstock

6 Saints seem resigned to relegation

Despite Brentford’s remarkable home form, they hold the joint-worst away record in the division: just two points earned from nine games played. Southampton are easily the worst performers at home, which means something has to give when Brentford travel to St Mary’s. No team has ever survived in the Premier League with six points after 19 games and Southampton’s mental fortitude is surely not helped by comments made by Adam Lallana. “At the end of the season, there might be relegation,” said the veteran midfielder this week. “Hopefully not. If we have to go down, we will come straight back up again. That’s my mentality if that happens.” With so many points yet to fight for and a new-ish manager, there surely has to be more fight in the home dressing room on Saturday. MB

Southampton v Brentford, Saturday 3pm

7 Hürzeler hopes for upturn in fortunes

Fabian Hürzeler can never be accused of being a pessimist. While his side head into Saturday’s meeting with Arsenal without a win since late November, five draws and two defeats in that run are an indication that Brighton have not been performing that badly. “I see the positive things in my life,” Hürzeler said this week. “I’m sure the glass will be really full one day.” But in the absence of Danny Welbeck, Brighton’s top scorer, goals have been hard to come by, especially at the Amex, where they have only managed two in their past three games. With no timeframe for Welbeck’s return and Evan Ferguson also out injured, the onus is on João Pedro – who scored the equaliser in Brighton’s 1-1 draw at the Emirates in August but only has four goals this season – to provide some cutting edge against Mikel Arteta’s side. EA

Brighton v Arsenal, Saturday 5.30pm

View image in fullscreen Fabian Hürzeler is remaining positive at Brighton. Photograph: Simon Dack/Shutterstock

8 Rampant Robinson’s stock rises

If Antonee Robinson once sounded like a Pro Evolution version of Andy Robertson, he’s now very much the real deal. The Fulham left-back claimed his seventh league assist this season against Bournemouth last weekend, a right-footed cross finding the head of Harry Wilson. Only Mohamed Salah and Bukayo Saka have set up more goals in the Premier League this campaign, with Robinson’s creativity helping Fulham to an unbeaten run of seven games. The frustration for Marco Silva’s side is that only two of those have been wins, with their sole clean sheet coming at home against bottom-of-the-table Southampton. If a few more defensive shutouts went with his assists, Robinson’s standing would grow still further. TH

Fulham v Ipswich, Sunday 2pm

View image in fullscreen Antonee Robinson has assisted seven Fulham goals in the league so far this season. Photograph: Javier García/Shutterstock

9 Amorim must be practical at Anfield

Ruben Amorim again defended persisting with his favoured 3-4-3 formation on Monday despite abandoning it in the 33rd minute of Manchester United’s defeat by Newcastle. Even then he reacted too late. United’s ageing central midfield of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen were easily overrun by Newcastle’s three prior to the introduction of Kobbie Mainoo for the humiliated Joshua Zirkzee. It will require more than a change of personnel to prevent Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones or Dominik Szoboszlai controlling proceedings. Arne Slot’s intelligent use of the resources he inherited stands in marked contrast to a procession of United managers, not only Amorim, who has made the poorest start at Old Trafford for 103 years. Coaching principles may be sacrosanct for the new head coach but Anfield, scene of several humiliations for United in recent years, is surely the place for practicality. Andy Hunter

Liverpool v Manchester United, Sunday 4.30pm

View image in fullscreen Ruben Amorim has made the poorest start by a Manchester United manager for 103 years. Photograph: Matt West/Shutterstock

10 Wolves to see what might have been

Nuno Espírito Santo is winning the breakup. Three and a half years since leaving Wolves “by mutual agreement”, the 50-year-old returns with his share price higher than ever before. There was the hiccup at Spurs and a year in Saudi Arabia before his transformation of Nottingham Forest from relegation candidates to European chasers. Supporters at Molineux this weekend will perhaps take a moment to wonder about the alternate timeline had Nuno remained, having taken them on a similar ride during his four-year stay at the club. Vítor Pereira is their fourth manager since Nuno’s departure, with stability long-forgotten in these parts. TH

Click here to read article