10 things to keep in mind this weekend

Haaland and Salah lead the weekend

Is Erling Haaland fit? He thinks so. Which of these gladiatorial contenders will take a higher line? Could there be touchline antics from Pep Guardiola and Jürgen Klopp? And which of the Premier League leaders and second-placed team will emerge victorious? As far as subplots, sideshows and headline narratives go, the fact that Manchester City host Liverpool on Saturday lunchtime is this weekend’s only game in town, a prospect so tantalizing that anything The fact that it happens cannot – surely – be anything other than fascinating. Haaland vs Salah will be a duel between two supreme attacking forces, so if there is a winner, who defends better may be the defining factor in what is the only 13th match of each protagonist’s title challenge. Jaime Jackson

The sadness of the Clarets when it is difficult for them to bridge the gap

West Ham’s post-international injury woes pale in comparison to the situation facing Burnley as they battle to bridge the gap between the Championship and the Premier League. The Clarets have failed to pick up a single point at Turf Moor this season, conceding an average of three goals per home game, and have lost their last six games in all competitions. Vincent Kompany, however, insists he will not compromise the standards that underpinned Burnley’s immediate return to the top flight and denies that internal pressure is building. “The gap is enormous but we have to see it as an opportunity,” the manager said this week. “Right now, our team is showing fight, our team is showing resilience and we haven’t waited to build it, we have built it throughout last season. “It’s within the staff, it’s within the venue and it’s a quiet place, so we think we have the right conditions to bridge that gap.” andy hunter

Chong can bring home comfort to the Hatters

In their 12 league games so far, Luton have only scored twice, helping them pick up four of their six points. They have scored 10 goals in total but have conceded 22, so to have a chance of staying on top they will have to start identifying the games they can win. Home form will be incredibly important; The Hatters are yet to taste Premier League victory at Kenilworth Road and games against the likes of Crystal Palace could be crucial. Rob Edwards’ men have discovered how difficult the top flight is, but they need to lose a little fear in order to progress. One player who can provide more quality in the final third is Tahith Chong, who started the previous three games on the bench but scored in the encouraging 1-1 draw against Liverpool. A start for the Dutchman could add an edge to Luton’s game when Palace visit and potentially help secure a much-needed home win. won’t win

The story continues

Jackson’s yellow cards pose a problem for the Blues

Chelsea have scored four in their last two games, both against teams in the top four, an indication that things are starting to click under Mauricio Pochettino. They failed to score in three successive Premier League games in September but have since found a formula that works for them in the final third. The coach has decided on a triplet consisting of Cole Palmer, Raheem Sterling and Nicolas Jackson. They are starting to understand how others operate and that makes attacking football more skillful. However, if they want to continue growing their relationship, it is imperative that Jackson stops receiving unnecessary bookings. He has played 11 Premier League games for Chelsea and has been booked on a league-high seven occasions, and has already received a one-match ban for his numerous indiscretions. Another three yellow cards would earn him a two-match ban, something Pochettino cannot afford without an obvious replacement available, so the young striker needs to mature quickly. wu

No Awoniyi, no goals for Forest?

Taiwo Awoniyi’s presence on the pitch is imperative to Nottingham Forest’s success. The striker has scored 10 goals in his last 14 league games and without him, Steve Cooper’s team has failed to win in the last eight league games in which the Nigerian was unavailable. That makes the news that he requires surgery for a groin injury that could keep him out for up to four months even more concerning. Awoniyi’s absence often sees Forest change styles, with Chris Wood the most likely replacement, but he is a completely different style of player. Without Awoniyi leading the team, Forest are a different team because they rely on her pace and his physicality to help them move quickly up the pitch on the counter-attack. He creates goals as well as scoring them, earning two assists this season. Divock Origi hasn’t made any impact since his loan from Milan, but this could be the right time for his first start as he can at least provide some continuity to his style. wu

Blades look for further momentum against Bournemouth

After picking up a point from their first 10 games, things looked bleak for Sheffield United, but a win and a draw from their last two games have boosted confidence. With potential relegation rivals Bournemouth arriving at Bramall Lane on Saturday, it is a golden opportunity to extend that run. The international break came, as the cliché dictates, at an inappropriate time for the Blades, who would have been desperate to maintain momentum. However, this will have given Paul Heckingbottom the opportunity to reflect. Most of his players were not in the national team, which gives them plenty of time to prepare for Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth, who are beginning to show signs that he can play with the dynamic style that his manager demands. If the Blades win it could help them climb out of the relegation zone for the first time since the third round of matches, which would be a huge boost for both the team and the fans. wu

Arteta has dilemma over influential duo

International breaks are often nervous times for a coach, wondering who will return injured, but for Mikel Arteta the last 10 days have been helpful. Gabriel Jesús played 90 minutes for Brazil in their 1-0 defeat to Argentina, having missed the previous month of action due to a hamstring injury, although the return from South America after such a high-octane match could have a negative impact on the forward. . Meanwhile, Martin Ødegaard missed Norway’s matches during the break so he could focus on returning to fitness. His last appearance was in the League Cup defeat to West Ham on November 1, but he will be available for the trip to Brentford after overcoming a hip problem. However, the Arsenal captain has yet to go through concussion protocol after being hit in the face with a ball during training. It is up to Arteta to decide whether he wants to start his returning duo and get them up to speed before a hectic period. wu

Two very late goals unraveled Tottenham in their most recent outing against Wolves. After going 12 games unbeaten at the start of the season, Ange Postecoglou has entered his first turbulent phase as a Premier League manager. Despite having 59% possession at Molineux, Spurs were only able to muster two shots on goal as they gave up their lead. James Maddison has been absent and looks set to be out until January, meaning Postecoglou needs to find a Plan B to make the team more creative without their playmaker. Giovani Lo Celso came off the bench against Wolves in his third substitute appearance of the season. The Argentine’s career has never started in north London since arriving from Real Betis for £27m and spending 18 months of his career at Spurs on loan, but he has the skills to make an impact in the Premier League and the absence Maddison’s is his chance to prove himself. wu

Goodison seething, ready to make his point clear

There’s nothing like an angry Goodison Park and it’s hard to imagine many occasions in the stadium’s 131-year history when it has been as furious as it is likely to be on Sunday. Everton fans have planned numerous protests in response to the club receiving the biggest sporting penalty in Premier League history (a 10-point deduction for £19.5m overspending), with the entire crowd invited to show a red card to the organization during their anthem and in the 10th minute of the match against Manchester United. Good luck to Sky Sports in their attempts to turn down the volume on any obscenity. Sean Dyche and his in-form team share the sentiment of outrage but must channel what Everton director of football Kevin Thelwell described as “extra fuel” into a clear-headed strategy to defeat Erik ten Hag’s visitors. Easier said than done, but that is the challenge facing Everton for the rest of the season as they attempt to challenge the Premier League for continued membership. oh

Blunt Fulham need to find cutting edge

Fulham’s last home game ended up giving victory to Manchester United. After wasting several chances during the second half, Marco Silva’s side at least got within a point before a disastrous attempt to clear their lines ended with Bruno Fernandes’ winning goal. While United celebrated, Fulham lamented their weaknesses in both boxes. This season has been a struggle. Fulham have made costly defensive errors and have been forceful since selling Aleksandar Mitrovic. Raúl Jiménez and Carlos Vinícius have a goal each in the League, Rodrigo Muniz is full of potential at the moment and the attacking midfielders have not taken advantage of the relief. Willian, Andreas Pereira, Tom Cairney, Alex Iwobi, Harry Wilson, Tom Cairney and Bobby Decordova-Reid have scored four goals between them. Is not sufficient. Fulham, seven points above the bottom three, has to find solutions and quickly. Jacob Steinberg