Alex Keble analyses where the weekend fixtures could be won and lost.
Will substitutes decide the final Klopp-Guardiola showdown?
There are plenty of interesting duels ahead of the final Premier League meeting between Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola, but rarely is this fixture decided by who wins the first couple of bouts.
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More than any other encounter in the competition’s history, this one is won in the reactions, counter-reactions and counter-counter reactions between two managers thinking and tinkering throughout the 90 minutes.
In the 1-1 draw back in November, Klopp made five substitutions and ended the match with an entirely different three-man midfield from the trio that started. It was one of the substitutes, Ryan Gravenberch, whose weaving run launched the counter-attack from which Liverpool equalised.
Guardiola didn’t make a single substitution. Surely at Anfield he will need to be more proactive, not only because Liverpool’s injury-hit team will lack match sharpness in midfield, but because Klopp is getting better and better at influencing things from the sidelines.
Substitutes have scored or assisted 22 goals in the Premier League this season for Liverpool (11 goals and 11 assists), plus they have scored 10 Premier League goals in the 90th minute or later in matches this season.
Mohamed Salah, who has been directly involved in 17 goals in 19 matches against Manchester City, could be on the bench for Klopp this Sunday. Guardiola needs to be sharp.
Will Torres return help Villa move clear of Spurs?
In the reverse fixture back in November, Tottenham Hotspur dominated the first half before a tactical change at half-time saw Aston Villa surge back in the second.
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Unai Emery’s initial 4-4-2 formation had the wrong configuration through midfield for Villa to pass out under pressure from Spurs' high press, meaning the visitors were pinned for long periods.
So Villa moved to a 4-2-3-1, with Youri Tielemans coming short and John McGinn, moved to the right wing in place of Matty Cash, dipping into the centre. Suddenly Villa’s centre-backs had passing options and Emery’s side got a foothold.
This is significant because the Tielemans-tipped 4-2-3-1 is now Villa’s default formation, and with Pau Torres and Ezra Konsa fit to start together for the first time since a 2-1 win at Brentford on 17 December, the hosts have the strategy in place to exploit Spurs’ weaknesses.
Ange Postecoglou likes to push bodies forward, hold a high line and apply constant pressure to the defenders – which is exactly what Emery wants.
Villa bait the press then spin in behind, and they are particularly effective when Torres is on the pitch cutting passes through the lines.
It should create a match of frantic vertical football from both sides, which is standard - Villa (64) and Spurs (61) are third and fourth for "direct attacks" this season.
Villa have conceded seven goals in their last three league encounters at Villa Park while Spurs have won only one of their last six matches on the road. Both teams should get on the scoresheet in a wild and entertaining bout for fourth spot.
Can Willock’s return inspire counter-attacking win?
Newcastle United were much improved in the 3-0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend, mainly because Eddie Howe decided to move his defensive line deeper and play a counter-attacking game, which should be the right approach at Stamford Bridge.
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But just as important was the return of Joe Willock, whose energy, both in possession and out, gave Howe's side a much-needed lift.
Willock has only been fit to start two Premier League matches this season, but in 2022/23 he topped the Newcastle charts for progressive carries (97), attacking third tackles (12) and passes blocked (46).
Newcastle will need that tenacity and forward thrust if they are to cope with Conor Gallagher, Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo.
Will Beto inspire Everton to end 10-match winless run?
If history is anything to go by, Everton will not end their 10-match winless run on Saturday.
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They have won only one of their last 30 Premier League matches at Manchester United, drawing eight and losing 21. Indeed, their last victory at Old Trafford was back in December 2013 when David Moyes was United manager.
But there is hope for Everton following Beto’s opener in the 3-1 defeat to West Ham United last weekend, which was the first goal scored by a Toffees striker since 7 December.
United are the lowest-scoring team in the top half of the table with 37 goals, and they have lost back-to-back Premier League matches following an injury to Rasmus Hojlund that forced Erik ten Hag to restructure his forward line.
And so it might only take a single goal for Everton to win at Old Trafford for the first time in 10 years.
The hosts have faced more shots (444) than anyone else in the Premier League bar Sheffield United (469) and West Ham (456), and have conceded at least 20 shots in four of their last five league contests.
Beto should get a chance, then, although Everton tend to need quite a few to get on the scoresheet; they are underperforming their Expected Goals (xG) by 11.7 goals, by far the most in the Premier League.
Sean Dyche desperately needs Beto’s goal last weekend to be the catalyst for more.
Can Bournemouth build momentum after Burnley win?
Bournemouth’s form comes in streaks. They didn’t win any of their first nine Premier League matches under Andoni Iraola, before winning seven of the next nine, and then they went seven matches without a victory prior to last weekend’s 2-0 win against Burnley.
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Coincidentally, it was a victory over Burnley in late October that ended the first losing streak and began that flurry of wins. Is that a sign of another impending upswing?
Sheff Utd at home is, on paper, the easiest match of the season, especially right after their 6-0 drubbing by Arsenal on Monday night.
The Blades have won the fewest matches (one) and the fewest points (five) away from home, while Bournemouth are unbeaten in seven matches against promoted sides, winning five and drawing two, since they returned to the top flight.
Everything points to a home win, which, looking at a remarkably kind run of fixtures, could set Bournemouth up for another purple patch.
Will Paqueta launch West Ham push for joint-highest finish?
Lucas Paqueta’s return from injury could change the entire course of West Ham’s season.
He is one of the best players in the Premier League, as evidenced by the club’s record when he is in the team.
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West Ham have won two in a row since Paqueta’s recovery, scoring seven goals in the process, which is as many as they had netted in the eight league contests beforehand.
Going back further, West Ham have won 13 and drawn two of the last 18 matches in all competitions that Paqueta has started.
There is plenty time for a Paqueta-inspired West Ham to make up the two-point gap to Man Utd and finish sixth, which would be their joint-highest finish in Premier League history.
Certainly his presence should be enough to dispatch of Burnley.
West Ham have won nine of their last 10 Premier League home matches against promoted sides, including each of the last six, while Burnley have lost each of their last four away matches.
Can Luton end losing streak with another late surge?
Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace side were looking good at 1-0 against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend until tiredness crept in, defensive errors followed and the hosts turned it around.
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That’s significant – and it follows a trend. Palace have conceded more goals after the 75th minute, with 20, than any other Premier League team this season.
Meanwhile, only teams currently in the top three - Liverpool (24), Man City and Arsenal (both 15) – have scored more goals in the final 15 minutes of matches than Luton Town, whose never-say-die tenacity might prove too much if Palace tire.
The form guide, however, says something different. Palace have won three of their last four league matches at Selhurst Park. Luton have lost each of their last four in the competition.
After a straightforward opener at home to Burnley and a free hit at Spurs, this is the first real look at Glasner.
One of the main issues he has to fix is Palace’s fitness and tendency to concede late goals. Luton will test them on both counts.
Is there time for Wolves or Fulham to push for Europe?
Fulham were not given enough credit for their 2-1 win at Old Trafford a fortnight ago. That they followed this up with an impressive 3-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion is evidence it was no fluke.
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Marco Silva has done an exceptional job at Fulham, so good in fact that people are taking it for granted. We forget that Fulham were widely tipped for relegation when Aleksandar Mitrovic left in the summer.
You could say the same thing, almost word for word, about Wolves, just swapping Mitrovic for Ruben Neves.
Wolves and Fulham are punching well above their weight, and there might even be room for one of the two to challenge for Europe.
Eighth could be enough for UEFA Europa Conference League next season. Wolves are currently just two points shy of Newcastle in eighth while Fulham – on the up with three wins from four – are three points behind Gary O’Neil’s side.
On the surface, this looks like a low-stakes mid-table clash. But by 17:00 GMT, one of these two will be dreaming of European football.
Will Arsenal run riot against injury-hit Brentford defence?
Brentford fans can be forgiven for feeling nervous.
Arsenal have won all seven of their Premier League matches in 2024, scoring 31 times and conceding a mere three goals. Their last four victories read as 6-0, 4-1, 5-0 and 6-0.
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Ordinarily you would back Brentford to sit deep, keep things tight and give Arsenal a far more difficult match than Sheff Utd, Burnley, Newcastle or West Ham managed.
But Thomas Frank’s side have struggled without Ethan Pinnock, earning only one point from four matches since his injury - and conceding 11 goals in the process.
Worse news for the Bees is an ankle injury to Ben Mee that has ruled the defender out for the rest of the season.
Somehow Brentford have to cope with Arsenal’s firepower without Pinnock and Mee, two thirds of their back three. They will need a miracle.
Can Forest repeat Fulham’s trick at Brighton?
As we have highlighted before in our weekend previews, Brighton don’t like being forced to hog possession.
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Sort their matches by possession share and of their top 10 in the Premier League this season only two, against Luton and Sheff Utd, were wins. Roberto De Zerbi wants to bait the press and attack directly, and therefore an opposition deep block presents a problem.
But this was taken to a new extreme last weekend when Brighton completed 660 passes in a 3-0 defeat at Fulham, becoming only the third team in Premier League history to complete as many and lose by three goals.
Note how few of their passes went into the box in the image below.
Nottingham Forest know how to sit deep and frustrate, and Nuno Espirito Santo will have watched Fulham’s counter-attacking victory last weekend and decided to copy their method.
Nevertheless, Brighton are unbeaten in 11 Premier League home matches, winning five and drawing six, their longest ever top-flight run without a home defeat, and Forest haven’t won on the road since December.
