Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend

1) Lukaku lies in wait for Arsenal

Arsenal beat Chelsea twice last season, including a victory at Stamford

Bridge three months ago. Since then they have spent heavily on transfers that include a £50m centre-back. Their fans must be super-confident as they prepare for Sunday’s Emirates clash, especially those who have blanked out last week’s fiasco at Brentford. But Thomas Tuchel is sure to bear that match in mind as he prepares his strategy for Sunday, and his pre-match pep talk is likely to begin with a good old-fashioned “get into ’em”. Ben White performed no worse than many teammates last week but the expectation on him is higher following his transfer, so he needs to earn back some trust by rising to Sunday’s challenge, which will be particularly formidable if a highly motivated and supremely confident Romelu Lukaku is given the first start in his second coming at Chelsea. Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, needs to pick a balanced lineup and find a way to inspire some oomph. There are only so many more humiliations Arsenal can suffer before the manager gets the heave-ho. 

• Arsenal v Chelsea, Sunday 4.30pm (all times BST)

2) Lindelöf steps aside for Varane bow

As well as he played in Manchester United’s win over Leeds United last Saturday, Victor Lindelöf must have known his role in the jig as one half of Manchester United’s first-choice central defensive pair was up as he passed Raphaël Varane in the Old Trafford tunnel following the Frenchman’s pre-match unveiling. Varane seems likely to make his Premier League debut, partnering Harry Maguire, against Southampton at St Mary’s and it is the Swede who will make way as the duo set about forging what may become a formidable partnership. Whether or not Varane’s arrival will render the role of Fred or Scott McTominay surplus to requirements remains to be seen. Given last weekend’s glut of goals, United don’t exactly look in desperate need of another attack-minded player in their starting lineup.

• Southampton v Manchester United, Sunday 2pm

3) Nuno swiftly reunited with Wolves

This could be billed as a meeting between a striker who has recovered from a serious injury and another who is in a strop about what he thinks is a broken promise. But we do not know whether Harry Kane will be picked, so let us instead choose romance and trumpet Sunday’s match at Molineux as an emotional return for Nuno Espírito Santo. But what emotions will he feel? Pleasure, for sure, at catching up with old friends, but also potentially glee if he beats former employers who doubted him before ousting him. Or will it be the stinging pain of seeing his new charges outfought and outplayed by his old players inspired by his successor, Bruno Lage? The answer could depend on another fascinating duel: Japhet Tanganga v Adama Traoré. 

• Wolves v Tottenham, Sunday 2pm

4) Strikerless City still big ask for Norwich

One way or another, Manchester City will surely have a new centre-forward in their ranks by the end of this month – whether that is Harry Kane or an alternative like Fiorentina’s hugely exciting Dusan Vlahovic. For this weekend at least, they will have to go with what they have and Pep Guardiola may be quietly happy that Norwich should not present the toughest of assignments. The Canaries were comfortably beaten by Liverpool last weekend and, given they are undercooked after a fractured pre-season, perhaps it is a blessing in disguise that Daniel Farke’s side are getting two free hits out of the way early on. City will expect to win well and put the discomfort of their defeat at Spurs behind them. A strikerless XI failed to find a cutting edge in north London; on Saturday they have an opportunity to get among the goals and show Guardiola he does not need to rely on any new man. 

• Manchester City v Norwich, Saturday 3pm

• 5) Smith seeks right formula with Villa

  Aston Villa have more options than last season and it will be intriguing to see how Dean Smith uses them. Ismaïla Sarr exposed uncertainty on the left-hand side of their team at Watford last weekend, and Allan Saint-Maximin could torment the other flank on Saturday. Smith needs to find a balance that makes Villa both solid and dangerous. His team selection and formation for the visit of Newcastle will be interesting. Will Ollie Watkins start if available? If so, will he be alongside Danny Ings in a 4-4-2 or in a wide role on the left, or might that role go to Leon Bailey? If Emi Buendía starts on the right, how much help will he give Matty Cash in dealing with Saint-Maximin – more or less than Ashley Young gave Targett in the first half last week? 

  • Aston Villa v Newcastle, Saturday 3pm

  6) Can Burnley bully Liverpool again?

  If last week’s trip to Norwich was a relatively gentle reintroduction to the Premier League for Virgil van Dijk, this week’s encounter with Burnley should be an altogether more bruising test. Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes severely rattled Liverpool in January, when Burnley became the first visitors in more than three years to win at Anfield. We will see how much authority Van Dijk can restore to Liverpool’s backline. And let us see also how much creativity Liverpool will have in midfield, since the chief reason for their defeat in January was the predictability and inaccuracy of crossing from the full-backs. 

  • Liverpool v Burnley, Saturday 12.30pm

  

  
  

• 7) Phillips needed by Bielsa after rout

  The contrast in the approaches of Rafael Benítez and Marcelo Bielsa to their respective Premier League openers last weekend was quite telling. Despite having represented Brazil in both the Copa America and Olympics, reaching the final of both, Richarlison was thrown straight into Everton’s lineup by his manager and contributed a goal and assist during his 89 minutes on the field against Southampton. Having done only half the pre-season work of his teammates following his post-Euro 2020 break, Phillips looked on from the bench as an out-of-position Robin Koch filled in for him but failed dismally to cope against Manchester United. At some point Benítez will have to give Richarlison a holiday, while the return of Phillips to the Leeds lineup can’t come soon enough for Bielsa. With both players critical to their respective clubs’ ambitions, it will be intriguing to see how much game time both men get on Saturday. 

  • Leeds v Everton, Saturday 3pm

  8) Brentford target another derby victim

  Brentford must be licking their lips at the chance to have a go at Crystal Palace after such an impressive win against Arsenal. It feels a realistic opportunity for them to amass six points out of six, and also represents an important litmus test for the early progress of Patrick Vieira’s reign at Selhurst Park. A comfortable defeat at Chelsea was understandable enough, even if Palace might have packed more of a punch. But they will be expected to host a promoted side on their own terms, dominating the ball as Vieira wants them to and securing the kind of result that would put early-season nerves at bay. It will take time for Vieira to successfully implement the changes he has planned: for so long Palace were expertly drilled out of possession and posed a huge threat on the counter. A Brentford team comfortable in their own skins will feel they can make the teething process even more awkward. 

  • Crystal Palace v Brentford, Saturday 3pm

  

  9) Mac Allister may be Brighton’s jewel

  Alexis Mac Allister came off the bench to score a superb winner for Brighton at Burnley, sealing a comeback that augurs well for the Seagulls’ prospects this season. Now he must wait to see if it has earned him a place in Graham Potter’s starting lineup. The industrious Argentinian midfielder featured regularly last season but often found himself used as a substitute. He is still only 22 and arrived directly from his domestic league two seasons ago; the hope is that an exciting talent has now got himself up to speed. Mac Allister is a lively runner who can pick a pass, get a shot away and occupy intelligent spaces in front of opposition defences, and if those attributes can be matched by end product, then Brighton may have a star on their hands. If he can step up once more against Watford, who themselves arrive feeling confident after a fine start, he may prove difficult for Potter to leave out. 

  • Brighton v Watford, Saturday 5.30pm

  10) Benrahma can cover loss of Lingard

  
  

• It was a hit-and-miss first season for Saïd Benrahma at West Ham. While his team surpassed themselves, he was confined to the bench just as often as he was involved from the start. There were flashes aplenty of his lavish talent but also suggestions he can offer so much more. He was given his chance at Newcastle last Sunday, partly because West Ham are having to face life without Jesse Lingard, and the way in which he grasped it was encouraging. Benrahma scored with a rare header and his interplays with Pablo Fornals, Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio bamboozled the hosts at times. “The boy has been on fire!” Antonio said of Benrahma during his post-match interview. If he can similarly light up the London Stadium against Leicester, in what should be an interesting test for two sides who want to remain among the contenders for Champions League spots this season, perhaps Moyes will find a post-Lingard solution lies in front of his eyes. 

  • West Ham v Leicester, Monday 8pm