Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend

1) Arsenal must travel with more confidence to Man City

Having failed to find the precision and wit to open up a well-drilled Newcastle defence often enough on Tuesday, Pep Guardiola’s side will face an entirely different challenge against Unai Emery’s side, who are incapable of defending with similar vigilance but are well armed to exploit City’s vulnerabilities, particularly in the full-back positions. That will be particularly true if Denis Suárez is ready to start following his arrival from Barcelona, since he has the ingenuity to provide even better service to the clinical Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette, while also being more dynamic than Mesut Özil. Arsenal tend to be dismal on the road, but if they attack with gusto they might just upset City (who could be third in the table at kickoff, depending on Spurs’ result against Newcastle) and take precious points in an increasingly tight battle for fourth spot. PD

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2) Liverpool relieved to have right-back options

For all the focus on the anxiety that hindered Liverpool during their midweek draw with Leicester, perhaps the league leaders would have settled Anfield’s nerves if they one of their right-backs had been available. With Jordan Henderson pressed into an unfamiliar role, Liverpool were unconvincing up and down their right flank. The good news, however, is that James Milner is available again after a one-match ban and Trent Alexander-Arnold could also return from a knee injury in time for Monday’s trip to West Ham. Henderson’s leadership was missed in the middle against Leicester, and Alexander-Arnold’s thrusting runs have become an important part of Liverpool’s attacking play. Signs of nerves at this stage are a concern, but Jürgen Klopp’s side should have a more settled feel if all the pieces of the machine are in the right place against a side who will be vulnerable down their left side if Aaron Cresswell is not fit enough to replace the suspect Arthur Masuaku. JS

3) Almirón’s arrival can help Newcastle break Wembley duck

Newcastle travel to Wembley to take on Tottenham in the Saturday lunchtime kick-off, hoping to end a seven-match losing streak at the stadium that stretches back almost 45 years. They will arrive reasonably well-equipped to do so, having just beaten Manchester City and with their fans eager to get a first glimpse of the club’s new record signing. With supporters threatening not to renew their season tickets and Rafael Benítez remaining non-committal about his future, the arrival of Miguel Almirón from Atlanta can be interpreted as a peace offering from Mike Ashley, but what exactly can fans expect from their new midfielder. According to Tanner McLeod of Atlanta Fan TV, the Paraguay international is diligent, hard-working, lightning fast, has a keen eye for goal and is most comfortable playing behind a striker, although he can also deliver from a deeper position or out on the wing. If he can translate the qualities that helped him captain Atlanta to last season’s MLS Cup to the Premier League, cult status on Tyneside looks assured. BG

4) Solskjær’s open style could play into Leicester’s hands

While plenty of Leicester City fans continue to insist that Claude Puel’s brand of football is too anodyne to watch on a regular basis, it was not difficult not to be impressed with the Frenchman’s tactical approach in the midweek draw with Liverpool. Leicester were organised at the back, passed crisply in midfield and were always a threat on the break, with Demarai Gray and James Maddison menacing and inventive behind the speedy Jamie Vardy. The problems tend to arise when Puel’s side have to break down opponents who are happy to sit deep and defend in numbers, especially at home. Yet it is easy to see why they have fared so well against the top sides this season and they are unlikely to be confronted by negativity when they host Manchester United on Sunday. United’s refreshingly open style under Ole Gunnar Solskjær could suit a team with Leicester’s counterattacking potential. JS

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5) Chelsea’s response will please either Sarri or Siewert

Soon we will see what messages got through during the hour-long pow-wow between Maurizio Sarri and his players following Wednesday’s 4-0 humiliation at Bournemouth. Might the Italian have finally found a way to motivate the players he says are hard to reach? Might he show flexibility by taking on board concerns that may have been raised by players about tactics? Or might he have alienated some players with intransigence and public criticism? If Sarri has judged things right, Huddersfield could be on the end of a tonking. But if the reaction to the Bournemouth fiasco has aggravated Chelsea’s problems, then Jan Siewert could claim his first points as Huddersfield manager and push Sarri’s reign closer to an early end. PD

6) Will Fulham finally string two wins together?

As a man who knows a thing or two about pulling off miracles, the importance of Fulham’s game at Crystal Palace on Saturday will not be lost on Claudio Ranieri. A side who are yet to taste consecutive wins in the league this season simply must keep the positive momentum rolling after their dramatic comeback against Brighton & Hove Albion. Strange things can happen when relegation-haunted sides start to string a few results together and Fulham should head to Selhurst Park with a spring in their step after their second-half bombardment in midweek, especially as Palace will be without the suspended Wilfried Zaha. Though Zaha was absent when Palace beat Leicester in December, Roy Hodgson’s side tend to struggle without their talismanic winger. Fulham, who are six points below their south London rivals, will be kicking themselves if they pass up this opportunity – they need to keep belief high before hosting United next weekend. JS

7) Crouch can bring Burnley goals from the bench

Following a midweek post-match interview in which he insisted “tonight is not about” complaining about various injustices visited upon his team while making sure to list each of those injustices – an offside, a soft penalty and a “mystery five minutes” of added time – in turn, Sean Dyche belittled a journalist for asking him about rumours Sam Vokes was about to leave Burnley. An apology may be due as the striker promptly moved to Stoke City in exchange for the 38-year-old Peter Crouch and cash, but Dyche is to be commended for welcoming the universally popular forward back to the big time for his top-flight swansong. The scorer of the most headed goals in Premier League history, Crouch looks likely to extend his record of 152 substitute appearances now that he is in his dotage. Having scored for each of the six clubs he has represented in the Premier League (only Craig Bellamy has scored for more), his arrival should guarantee at least one goal to go with the two he has already bagged for the Potters this season. BG

8) Doherty form should have Coleman worried

Manuel Pellegrini did not appear to have made any particular plan to curtail Matt Doherty’s runs on Wednesday, which is one of the reasons why Wolves trounced West Ham 3-0. Marco Silva is likely to have taken note, even if Everton’ s persistent vulnerability from set pieces has some fans wondering about his thoroughness. Another manager who is unlikely to overlook the wingback this weekend is Mick McCarthy, who will have an ideal chance to compare the form of Doherty and Séamus Coleman before deciding which of them to make the Republic of Ireland’s first-choice right-back when the Euro 2020 campaign kicks off. Perhaps McCarthy will find a way of including both, but the fact that there is a case for choosing Doherty ahead of Coleman reflects how well Doherty has taken to the Premier League and what a difficult season the previously faultless Coleman has been enduring. PD

(All times GMT)

Sat 2 Feb
Tottenham v Newcastle Utd 12.30pm (Sky Sports Main Event)
Cardiff City v Bournemouth 5.30pm (BT Sport 1)
Sun 3 Feb
Leicester City v Man Utd 2.05pm (Sky Sports Main Event)
Man City v Arsenal 4.30pm (Sky Sports Main Event)

9) Bournemouth take dismal away form to emotional Cardiff

As impressive as their midweek demolition of Chelsea at the Vitality Stadium might have been, Bournemouth have been less than impressive on the road this season. They have won just three out of 12 away from home in all competitions, losing nine including their past seven on the trot. They travel to Cardiff City on Saturday, for a match that will be preceded by tributes to Emiliano Sala, the tragic striker who will forever be remembered as the greatest striker the Welsh club never had. While understandably unlikely to eclipse the midweek scenes at the Argentinian striker’s former club of Nantes, the emotion of the occasion might rouse the home side to riff on Bournemouth’s away-day pain. BG

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10) Pereyra could return to haunt Brighton again

This will be Watford’s sixth away assignment in seven matches, and next week’s match at home to Everton is followed by another three away trips in a row. They have coped pretty well so far with a schedule that would have banjaxed Brighton, who remain woeful on the road. Chris Hughton’s side were particularly bad at Watford in August although they only conceded two goals, both lovely efforts by Roberto Pereyra – one of the best players outside the top six along with Wilfried Zaha and Jamie Vardy. Brighton will have to subdue the Brazilian on Saturday if they are to sustain their strong home form, which is so far keeping them above the relegation zone. For Watford, meanwhile, another success on their travels would heighten the suspicion that Javi Gracia’s side – who finished just above Brighton last season – could reach Europe this term. PD