1
A return to passing and fire at Forest?
Nuno Espírito Santo said that at Bournemouth last weekend, where they were humbled 5-0, his Nottingham Forest side had been “not accurate and missed a lot of passes”. It is interesting that four of Forest’s last five – and five of their last eight – Premier League games rank in their bottom eight of the season on pass completion. “We have to perform much better,” he said. “We have to be more solid and play better football. We have so many things to improve.” Though results in that period, at least until last week, continued to be good they have relied on statistically unlikely displays of finishing prowess. Before their trip to Bournemouth, Forest had scored with nine of their previous 12 shots on target in all competitions and the last time a Chris Wood shot on target failed to go in was before Christmas. Both Nuno and Fabian Hürzeler were sent off for misconduct during a rancorous conclusion to the fixture between these sides at the Amex Stadium last September. Simon Burnton
2
Eyes on the spots at Bournemouth
Darren England has never taken charge of a senior Liverpool game, and has been kept away from the club entirely since he, as VAR, was key in the calamitous decision to disallow a Luis Díaz goal against Tottenham last year (the assistant VAR in that game, Dan Cook, will have the same role here). England is being gradually reintroduced to the Reds – he was fourth official for Liverpool’s trip to Wolves in September – but is still not being let anywhere near Anfield. This will be a test of England’s nerve, should any member of the home team go down in their opponents’ penalty area. Having awarded only one penalty in the Premier League this season (only one referee, Michael Salisbury, has given none), this game between the league’s leading penalty-winners – Bournemouth have been awarded seven this season, scoring six; Liverpool have scored all of their five – could be a particular test. Bournemouth have already beaten three of the current top four at home this season, and are looking to complete a very impressive set. SB
3
Everton hit by injuries for crunch game
Sean Dyche registered three Premier League wins in five months and 19 games before being sacked as Everton manager. David Moyes can equal his predecessor’s tally in 14 days, and from four games, with victory over Leicester. As Dyche knew only too well, thought, obstacles often emerge when Everton attempt to build momentum. The valuable away win at Brighton came at the cost of losing Orel Mangala for the rest of the season with an ACL injury, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin for several weeks with a hamstring problem. Both had responded brightly to Moyes’ arrival and leave holes that need filling before Monday’s transfer deadline. Beto is currently Everton’s only fit striker and must seize the opportunity presented by Calvert-Lewin’s absence if he is to have a long-term future at Goodison Park. A meeting of two teams hovering just above the relegation zone should be tense but Moyes’ impact, and Leicester’s comeback to end a run of seven successive league defeats at Tottenham last weekend, may liberate players for a game of huge significance. Andy Hunter
4
Ipswich enter potentially decisive run
Going into this weekend no team has played more games against top-half sides than Ipswich and Wolves, 14 of whose 23 fixtures have been against the division’s better teams (Fulham have played the fewest, with nine). But while Wolves’ next few games are also against teams from the top 10, four of Ipswich’s next five are against other members of the bottom half, including Tottenham and Manchester United. If they are going to push up the table this would seem the time, especially starting at home against the bottomest of them all. Of course, a game against the team above them, one of only four that they have taken points off this season, also presents an opportunity for Southampton. “We need some positive situation. I think if we win against Ipswich, it will be huge for us,” said Ivan Juric, predicting it would infuse them with “lots of confidence, and then we can do good things”. Saints are surely running out of straws to clutch, and this fixture may reveal whether any rising desperation serves as inspiration or distraction. SB
5
Tonali eyed to steady fickle Magpies
Newcastle can be a chameleon side and, as they prepare to host Fulham on Saturday, no one is quite sure of their true colours. Might we see the irrepressible team that recently completed a nine-match winning run, or the ensemble that surrendered 4-1 to Bournemouth in their last home game? One thing is clear: Newcastle invariably play well when Sandro Tonali excels deep in central midfield. Although Tonali remained one of Eddie Howe’s better players against Bournemouth, Andoni Iraola’s side succeeded where others have failed in restricting the Italy midfielder’s room for manoeuvre and cutting the supply line to Alexander. Can Fulham do likewise in a pivotal month for Newcastle? Howe’s side have Premier League games at Manchester City and Liverpool and at home to Nottingham Forest, in addition to Wednesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at home to Arsenal. Louise Taylor
6
Pereira keen to strengthen Wolves pack
Last weekend, Wolves’ slender defeat at home to Arsenal proved a sapping experience and then Leicester’s shock win at Tottenham pushed Vítor Pereira’s side back into the relegation zone. The manager cut a relaxed figure at Molineux despite a third successive loss but wants reinforcements before Monday’s transfer deadline. Wolves’ sporting director, Matt Hobbs, has stressed the importance of being efficient this month but with time ticking, defender Emmanuel Agbadou – a £16.6m buy from Reims – is their only new face. Talks for another centre-back, Lens’ Kevin Danso, have stalled and Wolves require additions in all departments, with the Dynamo Kyiv and Ukraine midfielder Volodymyr Brazhko a target. Pereira is also keen on signing a forward, with Jørgen Strand Larsen sidelined with a hamstring injury. With 15 games to go, the first at home to Aston Villa, it does not feel an overstatement to suggest the next few days could define their season. Ben Fisher
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7
Bees’ home appointment with Spurs
After winning seven of their first eight home games this season (and drawing the other), Brentford have lost three of their last four (and drawn the other), the complete collapse of what was less a fortress than a statistical curiosity coinciding with the visits of Nottingham Forest, Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool, the division’s current top four. The question is whether that has done any damage to the swagger with which they until recently went into home fixtures. There is the potential for a Lads-it’s-Tottenham effect on Sunday, given the visitors’ haul of seven points from their last 11 games (precisely half of Brentford’s tally in the same period). The inevitable attention on Ange Postecoglou will distract from that on Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, the subject of considerable transfer buzz this month and linked with a move to Spurs this week, who has missed the last two games between these sides. SB
8
Transfer clock ticks for exiled Rashford
January’s episode of The Trials and Tribulations of Ruben Amorim has been dominated by Marcus Rashford’s future and whether the forward will leave Manchester United on loan. Meanwhile the head coach has to win games, a demand that would be easier, if, as he said on Wednesday, he could use the forward’s pacy “one-on-one” smarts. But no. Rashford remains unlikely to be in the squad for the visit of a Crystal Palace side that has lost only one of their last seven games. The reverse did come in their last outing – 2-1 toBrentford. With Rashford in exile, Amad’s verve and speed is United’s best hope of securing a second Premier League win in a row for the first time in this troubled campaign. Jamie Jackson
9
Arteta keen to ‘humble’ former employers
A lot has changed since Arsenal and Manchester City last locked horns in a bad-tempered clash back in September, with things not exactly going to plan for either Mikel Arteta or Pep Guardiola since. But with his side on a four-game unbeaten run against their former title rivals, and six points clear of them as they attempt to chase down the leaders Liverpool, Arteta can extend the gap even further on Sunday at the Emirates. Arsenal caused City’s defence lots of problems from set-pieces in the 2-2 draw earlier in the season. They went ahead after Gabriel Magalhães scored from a corner, only for John Stones to pop up with a late equaliser after Rodri was forced off with a serious knee injury. Erling Haaland had to be pulled away from Arteta at the full-time whistle after telling him to “stay humble,” and there will be no room for sentiment again as the Arsenal manager attempts to pile more misery on his former employers. Ed Aarons
10
Will Sánchez get another chance?
Enzo Maresca has been defending Robert Sánchez but the goalkeeping situation at Chelsea is not sustainable. Sánchez has made five errors leading to a goal this season – a division high, putting the Spaniard level with Ipswich’s Arijanet Muric – and he was poor against City last weekend. Erling Haaland could not believe it when Chelsea’s goalkeeper came hurtling out of his area to try to deal with a long ball from Ederson in the second half. The result was an easy goal for City and more difficult questions for Maresca to answer. It is not clear why Sánchez was chosen as his No 1, especially as he was behind Djordje Petrovic last season. Petrovic did well but is now on loan at Strasbourg. Sánchez did not convince under Mauricio Pochettino. Not much has changed. He was erratic then and is erratic now. Filip Jörgensen was signed last summer and has not had many opportunities in the league. Maresca must consider bringing him in against West Ham. Sánchez is clearly making his defenders nervous. Jacob Steinberg
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