10 things to keep in mind this weekend

Composite: Action Images/Reuters; PA images

Hodgson points to the tonic of the ‘derby’ as the carousel spins

Following the departure of Steve Cooper from Forest, there is an interesting potential candidate available for the next vacant position in the Premier League. Crystal Palace are known admirers of Cooper, while Roy Hodgson has tasted victory once in his last 10 games, and that was at Burnley. The positivity of getting a late equalizer at the Etihad after overcoming a two-goal deficit will be a blessing for the Palace manager, but you have to take advantage of it and a home derby is a good place to do it, if you don’t want to. his job is threatened. Brighton are a wicked opponent for a team in trouble, but when a crisis comes the sensible thing is to attack them head on. Victory will make many of Hodgson’s problems disappear; Otherwise, Cooper’s shadow could begin to loom over him. won’t win

Villa’s breathing space brings comfort to Emery

The talk around Aston Villa centers on their title credentials, but privately, Unai Emery must also feel comfortable with the nine-point lead over sixth-placed Newcastle. Last week, perhaps in an attempt to quiet the noise, Emery said that qualifying for the Europa League was still his goal. Villa are five points clear of fifth-placed Spurs, and the visit of Sheffield United offers a golden opportunity to make it an incredible 16 consecutive league wins at Villa Park, and a chance to create more breathing room. Victory would also lift Villa to the top of the table, at least until Liverpool face Arsenal on Saturday, and strengthen their chances of cementing a top-four place in the second half of the season. At first glance, Chris Wilder’s team represents relatively easy prey compared to Manchester City and Arsenal, but Emery knows that nothing is a formality. ben fisherman

Moyes can make money against sloppy United

Manchester United’s job at Liverpool was done last Sunday, although Virgil van Dijk did not care much for the overly defensive performance of Erik ten Hag’s team in the dull 0-0 draw at Anfield. For much of this season, United have resembled social media users stumbling upon an inspirational lifestyle quote. They assimilate the message, act it out in one game, and quickly forget it completely in the next. So, having “stood strong when adversity calls most” or some similar Liverpool meme, can the Red Devils muster the same level of focus and tenacity for an early start at West Ham? Former Old Trafford manager David Moyes had struggled when he faced United. But last season’s 1-0 win over Ten Hag’s side could be a turning point and the Hammers have the class to capitalize on any dip in the form of their wildly inconsistent opponents, however poor they were in Liverpool on Wednesday night. David Tindall

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Leno’s form may make Gunners fans feel melancholy

While Fulham have been rightly praised for their goalscoring exploits at Craven Cottage in recent weeks, it is at the other end of the pitch where the praise should also come. Scoring 10 goals in consecutive home wins grabbed the headlines, but clean sheets in both matches allowed Fulham’s forwards the freedom to excel. Only the Premier League’s top four have conceded fewer goals at home than Fulham’s nine, and credit must go to Bernd Leno, whose five clean sheets this season are bettered only by three other top-flight goalkeepers. In terms of total saves and save percentage, his numbers are outstanding and yet the German still flies under the radar. While Emiliano Martínez’s eye-catching performances for Aston Villa still cause regret among Arsenal fans who insisted he should never have been sold, Leno’s performances suggest the Argentine is not the only former Arsenal stopper who could bring more stability to the rear of the Emirates. than David Raya or Aaron Ramsdale. DT

Trippier needs a chance to change course

Football is one of the great short-term industries; three draws is a crisis and forwards who don’t score in four means their career is over. Kieran Trippier is the latest to face questions after a series of high-profile errors in recent matches that have drawn widespread criticism. The full-back clearly lacks confidence, which has led to more errors, leading to an unfortunate night at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday. There is a limited chance that Eddie Howe will remove him from the team on Saturday. That could benefit Trippier because he, like all footballers, is one good performance away from returning to fitness. For Trippier, a last-minute tackle, a perfect corner or a free-kick from distance could be the moment to turn the page, and he will be keen to prove his doubters wrong. wu

Cherries in bloom offer Nuno a tough first test

The new Nottingham Forest manager has a difficult opening match. Nuno Espírito Santo has replaced Nottingham’s most popular man, Steve Cooper, and his appointment has been met with a collective shrug from his fans. The Portuguese has enjoyed success in the Premier League with Wolves, but his spells at Spurs and Al-Ittihad have taken his reputation down a notch or two. He will be desperate to prove that he is an elite manager once again, but will need the support of those on the ground to help boost his new charges after a desperate run that helped end Cooper’s time in charge. Bournemouth are a team on the rise and their aggressiveness has proven too much for many teams. They won against Manchester United in their last away game and will not be throwing a big welcome party for Nuno. wu

Substitute Skipp ready for rare Spurs opportunity

It has been a frustrating season for Oliver Skipp at Tottenham: always present in the matchday squad and yet never quite there, with just two starts (he failed to complete 90 minutes on both occasions), as well as 11 appearances as a substitute. After finishing last season well, the 23-year-old was hoping for more with Ange Postecoglou. Skipp sees himself as the number 6 and is annoyed that his new manager appears to consider him the number 8. There is no chance of Skipp seeking a loan in January, but his long-term situation at Spurs is fluid. More immediately, with Yves Bissouma suspended again and Rodrigo Bentancur on a long injury list, Skipp hopes to start against Everton. Postecoglou also has Pierre Emile-Højbjerg as an option for the No. 6 spot. David Hytner

Arsenal’s title aspirations face Anfield test

The battle for the Christmas No. 1 spot pits two teams who share the Premier League’s best defensive records, a quiet satisfaction at their current positions and doubts over whether they possess the quality and depth to withstand Manchester City’s supposed recovery during the next five years. months. Roberto De Zerbi said Arsenal were the best team Brighton had faced this season after their 2-0 defeat at the Emirates last Sunday, where the central defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba once again gave the Mikel Arteta’s leaders a solid foundation. They should expect a tough test at Anfield, where Arsenal have not won in the league since 2012, although Jürgen Klopp will expect much more from Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz following their ineffective performances in the draw with Manchester United. Nunez impressed in West Ham’s Carabao Cup rout on Wednesday and the two South Americans may have to take on more attacking responsibility from Mohamed Salah if the hosts are to achieve a spectacular result. andy hunter

Last minute points purchase at Molineux

From the moment in October, when the Premier League confirmed that Wolves would host Chelsea on Christmas Eve (the first top-flight game to be played on that day since 1995), there was widespread resignation. The probability that the match, televised in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports, would be moved was always minimal, none. Both teams have long accepted reality: Mauricio Pochettino accepted that almost all of his 31st wedding anniversary will be spent in Wolverhampton. Pochettino joked that it would be difficult to convince his wife, Karina, to join him in the Midlands. The cold reality is that for Pochettino it represents another uncomfortable obstacle. Chelsea are expected to win, but have only taken six points from the last 15 available, three of which came against bottom team Sheffield United. Wolves could also use a result to spark some festive cheer after one win in their last five games. boyfriend

Next stop: 2024

Thank you very much for reading our weekly Premier League and Monday review columns this year. I’ve written countless posts and it’s always fun to try to be concise on these matters, even if thousands of words could be written on some topics. You may not always agree with our editors’ opinions, whether you’re a fan or a club press officer who gets very angry over something relatively minor, but we really appreciate you coming back to this feature again and again. There will be a little holiday break for all things coming in 10, but the talking points will return on New Year’s Day with a bang or a whimper, depending on how your team fared. I wish you a very Merry Christmas, see you in 2024. wu