5 things to look out for this weekend in Premier League

New Delhi: The international break is finally over and that mean’s Premier League will resume from this weekend. A number of big games are lined up, headlined by the blockbuster North London derby between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal on Sunday. 

Many Premier League star players failed to make it back from international duty as they picked up injuries. The list includes Arsenal’s captain Martin Odeggard, defender Riccardo Calafiori and new signing Mikel Marino while Manchester City’s centre-back Nathan Ake and Liverpool’s midfielder Harvey Elliott will also not be available. 

Arsenal will also be without the duty of Declan Rice as he is banned from the game after a controversial first red-card which he picked in the draw with Brighton. With all the injuries here’s a list of five things that you can get yourself excited for as the league makes a comeback. 

Manuel Ugarte to get his debut at St Mary

Casemiro’s disappointing 45-minute performance in Manchester United’s 0-3 loss against Liverpool has made it certain that the manager Erik ten Hag looks certain to hand Manuel Ugarte his debut at St Mary’s. Last time out Ten Hag had no choice but to send other than the inexperienced Toby Collyer at the break to bring calmness in the midfield after Casemiro was off the pace gifting goals to the Reds.    

Manuel Ugarte missed out for Paris Saint-German before his deadline-day move to Premier League but the 23-year-old got minutes in his legs with Uruguay including a full 90 minutes in a match against Venezuela on Tuesday before returning to his new home club to get to know his new teammates. 

The Uruguayan midfielder will be at a task dawn on Saturday as he has to meet the expectations of Ten Hag. It seems a big task after few hectic weeks but Erik Ten Hag has little to infact no choice because he need results and will be looking to avoid another loss. Hag is even highly invested in the Manuel Ugarte.   

Arsenal traditional kit gets a hit 

The North London Derby always carries immense significance, producing unforgettable moments and high-stakes drama over the years. However, this time around there’s an added twist. 

Arsenal will be donning their new away kit, as the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) deemed their usual kit too similar to Tottenham’s, highlighting the excessive white on both shirts. In an age where clubs often change kits unnecessarily, primarily for commercial reasons it’s a bit disheartening to see Arsenal obliged to abandon their traditional colors.

While it’s a small change, it feels like yet another nod to profit over tradition. Watching two iconic clubs battle it out in their classic kits is part of the appeal, but this decision marks the fading of another piece of football heritage.

Manchester City winning streak on roll 

Pep Guardiola’s side have a machine rolling on from the very first game. They have won all the three games and by far have scored nine goals and conceded only two. In the early season powerplay they have defeated Chelsea, Ipswich Town and Wet Ham and already seems to cast other contenders also pretty well. 

Manchester City will lock horns next with Brentford and the side has pulled off the rare achievement of beating the reigning champions in front of their home crowd 2-1 two seasons back in November 2022. Ivan Toney scored twice to defeat City. 

Toney has now departed from the Brighton side and with Erling Haaland the striking striker already on seven goals and expected to continue his hot streak. Guardiola already also says they are more fitter than the last year and Thomas Frank side can aim for a point max.

Will Niclas Fullkrug make his mark at Fulham?

West Ham’s early campaign under new boss Julen Lopetegui has delivered mixed results. Losses to Aston Villa and Manchester City are understandable, and any win at Selhurst Park is valuable. 

However, there’s still uncertainty around Lopetegui’s tactical approach about exactly how he wants his side to play. Despite being brought in for £27m from Borussia Dortmund, Niclas Fullkrug has yet to start in any of West Ham’s three league matches. 

While nine teams have scored fewer goals than the Hammers, their four strikes include a questionable penalty and an own goal. Lopetegui may now look to integrate Fullkrug into the lineup, especially with Michail Antonio struggling and recovering from an injury picked up during international duty.

A reunion at Villa Park

Aston Villa and Everton have had some notable summer dealings, swapping players to meet financial regulations. Aston Villa signed Lewis Dobbin, who was quickly loaned out to West Brom while Tim Iroegbunam moved to Everton, and Villa paid £50m for Amadou Onana, who has already netted twice in his first three games. 

Iroegbunam now steps into the role vacated by Onana in the midfield but Sean Dyche’s faces bigger challenges as Everton have conceded 10 goals in three league matches and threw away a two-goal lead late on to lose to Bournemouth. 

Aston Villa have remained unbeaten against Everton since 2019 and have won four of their last five league meetings at Villa Park, leaving Dyche with a daunting task and eager to end this streak.

 Premier League returns after the international break. Before the action kicks-off check out the thrilling storylines that will shape this weekend’s action.  Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today