Premier League talking points: Man City in spotlight with trip to Liverpool, Man Utd and Spurs desperate for win and Viktor Gyokeres' Arsenal chance

Can Gyokeres step up and save his stalling Arsenal career?

Arsenal vs Leeds – Saturday, 12.30pm kick-off

For the first five Premier League games of the season, Mikel Arteta named the same Arsenal front four in every single one. But now he’s set to be forced into changes.

Hamstring injuries to Kai Havertz and Christos Tzolis mean the centre-forward and left-wing positions are likely to change over the next few weeks, at the very least.

Arsenal’s squad strength allows Eberechi Eze to come in as a left-wing option. It’s not a bad option. But how will Viktor Gyokeres fare as he prepares to replace Havertz?

It’s been a frustrating start to the season for the Swedish forward, who has yet to score in his five appearances in all competitions so far this term. He’s started only two, and he’s managed just one shot in his 192 minutes so far.

Right now, Gyokeres is increasingly becoming the player who just doesn’t quite fit at Arsenal. The start of the season has not only proved that Havertz is the clear first-choice No 9, but the German is better suited to Arteta’s Arsenal system.

But there are signs Gyokeres could get his opportunity at the right time. First, he has a strong record against Leeds, scoring three goals in the two Premier League games against the Whites last season.

He also had a promising international break, scoring in every Sweden match during the lengthy camp. It mirrors a similar situation Gyokeres had in March of this year.

With question marks over his goalscoring form at Arsenal, Gyokeres went away with Sweden and fired them to the World Cup with four goals in two games. That in turn sparked a run of five goals in eight matches for Arsenal – with those goals helping the Gunners to the Premier League title.

Gyokeres’ Arsenal career is currently stalling, can he kick it into gear?
Sam Blitz

Bees to strengthen European dream or Villa’s rebuild to continue?

Aston Villa vs Brentford – Saturday, 3pm kick-off

Aston Villa ended on a high by beating Tottenham before the international break, but a familiar and in-form foe now stands in their way.

Brentford beat Unai Emery’s side three times last season. Twice in the league with two narrow 1-0 victories, and they also knocked them out of the Carabao Cup with a penalty shoot-out win.

The Bees have gone from strength to strength since and sit in fourth place with nine points from their opening five games thanks to their unbeaten start in the top flight.

An impressive 3-0 win against Chelsea marked their last outing and it will be a big ask for Villa to build on the victory at Spurs with a win here.

The rebuild at Villa Park – both in the squad and within the stadium itself due to the renovation of the North Stand – is taking shape. But Villa are not the polished product they once were.

Brentford will be full of confidence and victory on the road will be viewed as another building block towards their dream of European football.

For Villa, it could be another step in the right direction for their new era, or a stark reminder that a rebuild of this magnitude will require patience of the highest degree to recapture their usual consistency.
Patrick Rowe

Palmer back in spotlight as Chelsea seek response

Chelsea vs Bournemouth – Saturday, 3pm kick-off

Cole Palmer had looked to be returning to his best. There were six goal involvements in seven games before the international break. “That’s why we nominated him,” said a rather disgruntled Thomas Tuchel when he was quizzed about Palmer pulling out of the England squad.

The England boss – who has been able to play Palmer just three times during his time in charge – said Chelsea informed him the forward “plays with discomfort and pain”. Pointedly, Tuchel added: “He misses too many opportunities” to impress for England.

Xabi Alonso will need Palmer back available and ready to make an impact this Saturday at Stamford Bridge, though. Top-scorer Joao Pedro is set to be out again and Chelsea are badly in need of a response to the 3-0 loss at Brentford last time out, which knocked an encouraging start to the season off course.

Palmer’s pal and Chelsea team-mate Morgan Rogers had a productive time away with the national team – capping that spell with a wonderful assist for Harry Kane on Tuesday night. It would be timely for Palmer to deliver a special moment of his own to get Chelsea back on track and shake off those negative headlines with a reminder of his quality.
Peter Smith

Ipswich to stake survival claim or Fulham to dust off cobwebs?

Ipswich vs Fulham – Saturday, 3pm kick-off

Must-win? Six-pointer? Is it too early for this type of talk? Undoubtedly – but there are reasons to suggest otherwise.

Fulham sit 19th in the table with just two points from their opening five games. Ipswich know how difficult it is to keep their place in the Premier League.

Alvaro Arbeloa’s side face all three newly promoted teams in their next three games and a win to kickstart that run would alleviate some of the early pressure they are finding themselves in.

Meanwhile, Ipswich will know Manchester City are on the horizon after this fixture and three points could take them into the top half of the table to build on their solid return to the top flight so far.

The game will not be decisive come May, but they could look back on this fixture as the game Fulham dusted off the cobwebs or where Ipswich staked their survival claim.
Patrick Rowe

Can Brighton pick up where they left off?

Sunderland vs Brighton – Saturday, 3pm kick-off

No club likes an international break, but Brighton might have been particularly peeved at the timing. Five games in, they sit in third and are the Premier League’s top scorers (16).

Brighton have lost just once in all competitions, and even that was a narrow 4-3 victory against Chelsea – something they would be confident of winning if they played again now.

And two and a half weeks ago, they swept aside champions Arsenal with a convincing 3-0 win at the Amex – but will the Seagulls’ wings have been clipped by the extended break?

Casual fans might hope not – Brighton have been a delight to watch so far this season – but Sunderland will certainly hope they can take advantage of some post-break rustiness.

The Black Cats have arguably not amassed the points they deserve based on performances so far. Despite losing 5-3 to Man City before the international break, a few minor swings either way could well have seen Sunderland come away with the points that day.

But Brighton will come to the Stadium of Light full of confidence, hoping the momentum remains with them.
Charlotte Marsh

‘Lads, it’s Tottenham’… but it’s not that simple

Manchester United vs Tottenham – Saturday, kick-off 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports

On paper, the famous words are staring Manchester United fans in the face: “Lads, it’s Tottenham.”

Bottom of the table, winless after five games and already looking short of confidence… what could possibly go wrong?

Well, quite a lot.

Spurs have endured a miserable start under Roberto De Zerbi, but United arrive with their own problems. Just two wins from seven games in all competitions has piled the pressure on Michael Carrick, while three consecutive Premier League games without victory mean another slip-up will only turn up the heat.

History does favour United: they have won 40 of the 68 Premier League meetings, while Spurs have lost 25 times at Old Trafford.

But with both managers desperate for a result, this is less “Lads, it’s Tottenham” and more “Lads, it’s time to deliver.”

Given it’s at Old Trafford and the fact Spurs could match United’s points tally with a win a defeat would feel marginally more disastrous for Carrick’s side.
William Bitibiri

Will Palace give old boss Glasner late gift on Selhurst Park return?

Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest – Sunday, 2pm kick-off, live on Sky Sports

Oliver Glasner left Selhurst Park a hero at the end of May when his side lifted the Conference League trophy, their first ever European silverware, in his final game in charge.

He returns barely four months later hoping his old side will be in generous mood as he looks to build some consistency following what has been an odd set of results in his first five league games in charge of Nottingham Forest.

Draws with Liverpool and Spurs were decent results and it looked like things had begun to settle with victory at Aston Villa, but the scoreline from, and the nature of, the 1-0 reverse at home to previously winless Coventry last time out will have stung.

Palace themselves are still adjusting to the post-Glasner era under Pierre Sage, and defeat at home to Ipswich last time out was particularly dispiriting.

They will be as aware as anyone of underestimating their old boss, who won only one of his first seven games in charge of the Eagles before winning six of his next seven and never looking back. His former employers will just have to hope this isn’t the weekend that things click this time around.
Ron Walker

Can the Toffees tame the Tigers?

Hull City vs Everton – Sunday, 2pm, live on Sky Sports

The international break may have come following Hull’s first Premier League defeat of the season, but that sentence alone is enough for fans to be overjoyed. Up until matchday five they had earned their place inside the top four with a remarkable start.

They return to action in eighth, which is still a major overachievement even at this stage. One place above them, is Everton.

The Toffees have been quietly going about their business and remain unbeaten. Given the question marks over their squad following the summer transfer window, it’s yet another mightily impressive start spearheaded by David Moyes.

It makes for an intriguing return to league action for both sides, who will no doubt be riding a wave of positivity. The visitors though have a chance to teach the hosts a real lesson.

Last season, Everton were the seventh-best team in the Premier League on away turf. This term, they have picked up points on their travels to Bournemouth and Tottenham. If there’s one thing they know how to do, it is keep home fans quiet.

That will be easier said than done at the MKM Stadium given the buoyant atmosphere one would expect. However, if Everton can produce a trademark on-the-road performance, it could be a sobering experience for Hull and a dose of reality that there is still a long way to go before you can celebrate anything.
Callum Bishop

Can Liverpool produce statement win to kick-start Iraola reign?

Liverpool vs Man City – Sunday, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports

Anfield would be red hot any time Man City came to visit, but after recent events, expect a particularly volatile atmosphere on Sunday for a clash that could act as a springboard for Andoni Irola’s Liverpool reign.

While the Basque is still unbeaten and could become only the third permanent Liverpool manager to avoid defeat in each of his first six top-flight matches in charge of the club this weekend, he has enjoyed a favourable run of fixtures to begin his tenure.

That all changes now though, with the Reds face a tough-looking trip to Brentford, before hosting in-form Brighton & Hove Albion and champions Arsenal following the City encounter, an exacting league run that will tell us much more about how well Iraola’s ideas are taking hold.

The Liverpool head coach does have injury worries to key personnel to contend with, but if he can overcome those to produce a statement win in front of the watching world on Super Sunday, then players and fans will really start to believe in the new man.
Rich Morgan

How will City’s perfect start be affected by Premier League verdict?

Anfield is famous for its atmosphere, but the mood awaiting Manchester City on Sunday will be unique. What a venue for City’s first game since an independent commission judged they broke Premier League rules between 2009 and 2018. Seismic.

City are appealing, of course, but the Liverpool crowd will deliver their own verdict and expect it to be vociferous. On the pitch, for what that is worth, Enzo Maresca’s City side are defending a perfect record of five wins from five and are currently top of the table.

Andoni Iraola is also unbeaten since taking over at Liverpool but with three draws from their opening five games, this feels like the first big test of his reign – and his team’s own title credentials. Whatever happens, all eyes will be on an Anfield clash to remember.
Adam Bate

First PL win in 25 years secured… now Coventry aim for home victory

Coventry vs Newcastle – Monday, 8pm, live on Sky Sports

The international break arguably came at the worst possible time for Coventry. Frank Lampard’s side earned a vital 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest, their first top-flight win in 25 years. However, a three-week break denied Coventry of the chance to build momentum following a poor start to the season.

Home matches have been miserable so far this campaign. They’ve lost all three in all competitions, with an aggregate score of 9-1, including two goalless defeats in the league.

Only five teams in Premier League history have lost each of their opening three home matches of a campaign without scoring, a record they’ll be desperate not to join.

Newcastle’s the name that arguably excites Lampard the most when checking the fixture list. The former midfielder won 16 times against this weekend’s opposition as a player, and only Crystal Palace have been defeated more times (5) than Newcastle (3) with Lampard in the opposition dugout.

Coventry, however, have not had much success against Newcastle. The hosts have lost seven out of their last eight encounters, including five in a row.

But with Newcastle’s last away league game ending in a thumping loss to Leeds, and Coventry tasting a Premier League win for the first time since 2001, could Monday bring their first home top-flight win in 25 years?
Luca Adewale

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