1) Can Rangnick solve his striking problem?
There could be no quibbling with Ralf Rangnick’s decision to drop Cristiano Ronaldo for Tuesday’s game at Burnley. The 37-year-old provided evidence in the manager’s defence by adding to Manchester United’s catalogue of bungled opportunities after being introduced from the bench. Earlier in the season Ronaldo’s sharpness regularly saved United. Now he has gone five matches without a goal and Rangnick cannot ignore the fact that, when Ronaldo is not scoring, he does not offer much else, unlike Edinson Cavani. With a resurgent Southampton visiting Old Trafford this weekend and United still chronically fragile at the back, Rangnick will need to field forwards who can be relied upon to convert most of their chances if they are to avoid falling further behind in the race for the top four. Does he have any? PD
Manchester United v Southampton, Saturday 12.30pm (all-times GMT)
2) A big scalp can add to Norwich’s momentum
Last time Norwich fought a Premier League relegation battle, they beat Manchester City 3-2 in one of the standout games of the 2019-20 season. An entertaining but naive side ultimately went down with a whimper; the same seemed nailed on this time around but, under Dean Smith, the Canaries have discovered a steelier edge and have given themselves a shot at survival. They have played more games than those around them, though, and may find their fixture list dwindling all too quickly once a trip to Anfield has followed hot on the heels of the leaders’ visit. A big scalp could do wonders for their prospects: Manchester City have not lost in the league since October and are seemingly cruising to the title but if Norwich can repeat the trick of two years ago then a different end-of-season outcome could look more than realistic. NA
Norwich v Manchester City, Saturday 5.30pm
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3) Saint-Maximin and Coutinho promise a show
Allan Saint-Maximin and Philippe Coutinho might well be the two best players outside the top three teams in the Premier League. The prospect of watching both in action helps to make Aston Villa’s trip to Newcastle this weekend’s most appealing match. It also promises to be a testing first Villa start for Callum Chambers, who, given Ezri Konsa’s suspension, is likely to be cast into a Villa defence that wobbled badly during the midweek draw with Leeds. With Bruno Guimarães also in line to make a first start for Newcastle, who are seeking a third consecutive win, there is quite a show in store at St James’ Park. PD
Newcastle v Aston Villa, Sunday 2pm
4) Burnley struggle to create chances needed for survival
One of Burnley’s problems when it comes to scoring is the creation of chances. They have few players capable of producing the assists required for strikers to score goals. A key creative asset is Dwight McNeil but he has provided a sole assist this season in 20 Premier League outings. To make matters worse for McNeil he has not found the back of the net either, which goes some way to explaining why Burnley have won only a single game and scored 17 goals in 20 matches. Against Manchester United, McNeil looked tired and struggled to get involved in the game despite playing the full 90 minutes. The new signing Wout Weghorst is supposed to be the man who can fire Burnley off the bottom and to safety, but he needs service from crosses and no one is providing it at the moment. Without them, and with formidable opponents due on Sunday in Liverpool, Burnley could be doomed. WU
Burnley v Liverpool, Sunday 2pm
5) Leeds’ verve can unnerve Lampard
Everton went into the last day of the 1950-51 season outside the relegation zone and knowing their survival would be guaranteed if they drew with the bottom club, Sheffield Wednesday. They lost 6-0. There was a whiff of that sort of haplessness in Tuesday’s defeat at Newcastle. Leeds are probably one of the last opponents Frank Lampard would have chosen to face as he tries to reverse Everton’s downward momentum. Marcelo Bielsa’s team, who have scored six in their past two away games, are likely to swarm all over a side who looked devoid of confidence and energy in midweek. Donny van de Beek might add quality to the home midfield if given his first start but that – and Anthony Gordon’s precocious class – are unlikely to be enough to suppress Leeds. In the event of an away win, Leeds fans are sure to remind Lampard that he risks becoming the first Everton manager in 71 years to preside over a relegation. PD
Everton v Leeds, Saturday 3pm
6) Dasilva to give Brentford the spark they sorely need?
Brentford have lost seven games of their past eight, in the top flight have played more times than anyone else in the bottom half and are only six points clear of 18th. If it looks like a relegation battle and sounds like one, then it probably is one: the cushion given to the Bees by their early-season form could only last so long and it is now vital they string some points together. Beating Crystal Palace would have the added bonus of dragging Patrick Vieira’s men to the fringes of the scrap. Thomas Frank needs to rediscover a winning formula and it cannot be long before he finds a place in the starting lineup for Josh Dasilva. The dynamic midfielder missed almost a year with a hip injury and his comeback as a substitute over the past week has been a positive. Dasilva is good for a goal and, at his best, a dominant presence; if he can find form quickly, perhaps alongside Christian Eriksen when the Dane is ready in a few weeks, Brentford may have the added spark needed to keep them away from trouble. NA
Brentford v Crystal Palace, Saturday 3pm
7) Leicester may give Antonio space to rediscover form
When these sides met earlier in the season, Michael Antonio scored twice and celebrated by holding up a cardboard cutout of himself. West Ham could probably have done with a real-life imitator of Antonio in recent matches, since the striker has been out of form. But that is partly because of the way that opponents have tended to start playing against West Ham, sitting deep and leaving Antonio no room to run into. Brendan Rodgers’ side are unlikely to play like that at the King Power, not least because they do not have a reliable defence. So Antonio and West Ham’s nifty attacking midfielders could have yet more fun at the expense of Leicester, against whom West Ham have scored 10 times in their last three encounters. PD
Leicester v West Ham, Sunday 4.30pm
8) Sarr the key to get Watford firing
Ismaïla Sarr has not played for Watford since 20 November, and the fact they have not won since is no coincidence. Sarr is one of the league’s best wingers and should not be toiling around its lower reaches. He is back in contention at last when they host Brighton and should have a spring in his step: Sarr made his comeback from a knee injury during the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations, where he played an important role in helping Senegal to their first-ever continental title. There was certainly no suggestion of any rust during the final, when he regularly roasted the Egypt left-back Ahmed Fattouh, and Roy Hodgson must integrate him effectively if the Hornets are to stand any chance of staying up. They have looked solid enough in a 4-4-2 since the veteran manager’s arrival but goal threat has been limited: if Hodgson can find a way to get Sarr firing within his system, his final mission in management might just be accomplished. NA
Watford v Brighton, Saturday 3pm
9) Bentancur can bring much-needed flair to Spurs
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg created a goal against former club Southampton in midweek but Antonio Conte felt his overall performance merited being substituted on the hour. The Dane was poor in possession and frequently overwhelmed when Southampton attacked, as Højberg struggled to stem the flow in front of his defence. The midfielder has already made 36 appearances for club and country this season, which could explain a dip in form as fatigue kicks in after a long time without a noticeable break following the European Championships. Luckily for Conte, he can now call upon Rodrigo Bentancur in the centre of midfield. The man who arrived from Juventus in January came off the bench in the defeat on Wednesday and showed some nice touches to indicate he could make the difference in a midfield short of attacking flair and ideas. A start against Wolves could help Bentancur settle in the Premier League before the more daunting prospect of Manchester City next week. WU
Tottenham v Wolves, Sunday 2pm
10) The conduct of crowds
Late in January the Premier League met other governing bodies and the police to discuss the rise in crowd trouble at games, and it has led to an urgent review being launched. Events in the FA Cup last weekend – that included a Leicester fan attacking Nottingham Forest players as they celebrated a goal and subsequently being charged with common assault – suggested the problem will not abate in a hurry and the discussions about its cause will rumble on. A rise in drug use inside stadiums comes up in dispatches, as does the suggestion that bottled-up lockdown energy is coming out in ill-advised ways; perhaps there is also the fostering of an “I’ll do what I want” attitude led by a government that seems happy to ignore rules while professing disgust when others do exactly that. Either way it needs sorting: no one can pretend football hooliganism in England ever faded to zero but grounds should be safe and welcoming places for everyone. This weekend would be a good time to begin the journey back towards those conditions. NA
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man City | 24 | 43 | 60 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 23 | 41 | 51 |
| 3 | Chelsea | 24 | 30 | 47 |
| 4 | West Ham | 24 | 11 | 40 |
| 5 | Arsenal | 22 | 9 | 39 |
| 6 | Man Utd | 23 | 6 | 39 |
| 7 | Tottenham Hotspur | 21 | 1 | 36 |
| 8 | Wolverhampton | 22 | 2 | 34 |
| 9 | Brighton | 22 | 0 | 30 |
| 10 | Southampton | 23 | -7 | 28 |
| 11 | Aston Villa | 22 | -4 | 27 |
| 12 | Leicester | 21 | -5 | 26 |
| 13 | Crystal Palace | 23 | -3 | 25 |
| 14 | Brentford | 24 | -14 | 23 |
| 15 | Leeds | 22 | -16 | 23 |
| 16 | Everton | 21 | -13 | 19 |
| 17 | Newcastle | 22 | -20 | 18 |
| 18 | Norwich | 23 | -32 | 17 |
| 19 | Watford | 22 | -18 | 15 |
| 20 | Burnley | 20 | -11 | 14 |
