Premier League: 10 things to watch out for in this weekend’s football

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Adebayo is the key to Luton’s final battle

Friday night’s clash between seriously endangered Luton and newly safe Everton should lead to contrasting moods among the two groups of supporters at Kenilworth Road. Yet the off-field alarms at Everton are likely to dampen the mood on the away side, despite the impressive three straight wins that have kept Sean Dyche’s side safe. In contrast, Luton’s much-admired campaign against defeat appears to be coming to an end, yet this well-managed club has less to fear from relegation than many around them. There are also hopeful signs for Rob Edwards’ side, with the Hatters’ first Premier League win of the season secured at Goodison in September. The return of Elijah Adebayo, who came on for the final 12 minutes of last Saturday’s defeat to Wolves after a two-month absence, could also give their attack extra impetus against Everton whose thoughts may be beach-bound after recent efforts. A win would lift Luton out of the bottom three and give Nottingham Forest more than just conspiracy theories to worry about. Tom Davis

Iraola is a threat to old friend Arteta

Last season, amid wild celebrations in the Emirates, Arsenal beat Bournemouth with a remarkable turnaround from two goals down and it felt like the springboard to something special. They couldn’t cross the line then, but will be much closer when the Cherries visit again on Saturday. Mikel Arteta’s team knows that another victory would put new pressure on the match between Manchester City and Wolves. Bournemouth are unlikely to score after nine seconds this time, but the away side are in excellent form and it is not impossible that Andoni Iraola could inflict a heavy blow on his boyhood team-mate Mikel Arteta. Arsenal are getting used to getting results when it matters, a habit that has taken years to rediscover and may require digging deep again. If Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka, both excellent in the North London derby, are kept quiet, who could be this year’s Reiss Nelson and provide the winning moment?

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Brentford wants to go one step further with safety assured

Brentford versus Fulham has always felt like the most symmetrical rivalry in West London. The teams have met 44 times in the last 50 years, far more than against QPR or Chelsea, with results fairly evenly split – although Fulham’s final victory in the Covid play-offs is the highlight of recent times is. Those legendary bragging rights are pretty much the only thing at stake on Saturday, with Thomas Frank’s side safe after recent victories over Sheffield United and Luton. Brentford have not beaten a team above them since winning at Wolves in early February. That should provide extra motivation for the Bees, who earned more from last month’s draws against Manchester United and Aston Villa. The recent form of Yoane Wissa, Bryan Mbuemo and the ever-threatening presence of Ivan Toney – even if he has yet to fully find his range since returning from his spell – should inspire Brentford to put on some sort of show against rivals who had a smoother season than them. T.D

Elite finisher Isak strikes again?

Eddie Howe answered his own question last week. “I would trade [Alexander Isak] with someone else? No, I wouldn’t do that.” That’s not quite the same as saying Isak is the best number 9 in the world, but it’s not far off. It would be hard to go against Harry Kane (although Isak’s age probably makes him more expensive) and Erling Haaland (although it would be interesting to see Isak’s numbers at City), but the Swede’s skills are increasing rarer: 6′ 4” but lightning fast, intelligent, strong, composed, controlled with both feet. With nineteen league goals (and seven in his last six games), there is no doubt that Isak is one of the elite, and he has an excellent chance to increase his golden boot chances at Burnley. Michael Butler

Arblaster has an opportunity to increase the bids

Bramall Lane is just 40 miles from the City Ground, but Nottingham Forest travel to South Yorkshire hoping to occupy a parallel football universe alongside Sheffield United next season. While Chris Wilder’s team is already champions, Nuno Espírito Santo’s Forest still has ten points and real hopes of winning the relegation race against Burnley and Luton. Much could depend on a midfield match that is expected to showcase the potential of Sheffield United’s Oliver Arblaster. The 20-year-old homegrown player spent the early part of this season on loan at Port Vale in League One but has provided a rare reason for optimism since his return to Bramall Lane and has been named captain by Wilder for the team’s final two games . Aston Villa and West Ham are currently at the top of the list of clubs considering summer-time bids for Arblaster, but with a contract until 2028 he won’t come cheap. Either way, it’s better to continue developing in the second tier, where Wilder will look to rebuild his side around him. Louise Taylor

Wolves should be wary of Rodri

For the neutrals, the hope is that Arsenal will beat Bournemouth in the early kick-off so that when the champions face Wolves five hours later, they are four points behind (with two games to go) and the threat of a tight title race remains to exist. Gary O’Neil’s team may end up nine places and 33 points behind their hosts, but they can look to September’s reverse fixture for inspiration, which they won 2-1. But before they get their hopes up too much, it’s worth remembering that Manchester City were without the suspended Rodri at the time and he will certainly be in the line-up on Saturday.
. Although he has not been at his best lately, Pep Guardiola’s players with him in the starting line-up are often unstoppable. Jamie Jackson

The Zerbi desperate for a strong finish

How much damage will Roberto De Zerbi’s personal brand do before the end of the season? More pertinently perhaps, how much reputational damage can he absorb before the clubs he is associated with start looking elsewhere for a new manager? Brighton are really going through “a difficult moment”, as the Italian said after last weekend’s capitulation against Bournemouth, and their injury list is debilitating. But De Zerbi’s gloomy attitude in media affairs doesn’t help; In recent weeks he has resembled a man who ordered penne pomodoro but got alfatti spaghetti instead. Unai Emery was recruited by Sunday’s opponents, Aston Villa, a month after De Zerbi arrived on the south coast, and the Villans’ current trajectory looked possible for the Seagulls not so long ago. De Zerbi says the fans deserve more, but for his own good he must show he can survive and even thrive in a crisis. Luke McLaughlin

Paquetá is under pressure to perform

Lucas Paquetá was a candidate for West Ham’s Player of the Season award not so long ago. The Brazilian’s creativity has been crucial to David Moyes’ bid for European qualification, but doubts have been raised over his focus ahead of this weekend’s trip to Stamford Bridge. Paquetá had only himself to blame after a petulant early yellow card against Bayer Leverkusen ruled him out of the second leg of West Ham’s Europa League quarter-final against the German champions last month. A foolish challenge indicated frustration with the team’s pragmatic style under Moyes, but there is no excuse for his recent performances in the league. Paquetá, who will be a target for Manchester City this summer, was poor against Liverpool, Fulham and Crystal Palace. He may want to leave, but he still needs to give more to his current employers, starting against Chelsea who are now above West Ham. Jacob Steinberg

Postecoglou fails in attack on ‘dark arts’

It doesn’t exactly add to the image that Tottenham have a soft underbelly for the club’s manager to whine about their rivals having the audacity to employ the dreaded dark arts. For someone trying to sell himself as a man of the people, it was no big deal Sunday League or Ange Postecoglou to challenge Ben White for distracting Guglielmo Vicario with a pinch in the arm during last Sunday’s North London derby . “If I saw my players doing it I would say, ‘Mate, seriously?’” the Australian said in a failed attempt to grab a moral victory. No one is suggesting that dark arts should be praised, but all great teams are smart and know when to be smart. If Spurs show the same naivety at Anfield as they did against Arsenal and Chelsea, Postecoglou will be on the verge of another defeat. MB

Wharton rivals Olise and Eze for promise

Since being tormented by Kevin De Bruyne’s brilliance at Selhurst Park a month ago, Crystal Palace have achieved exceptional form. Wins against Liverpool, West Ham and Newcastle were followed by last weekend’s 1-1 draw against Fulham, which felt more like a win, secured by Jeffrey Schlupp’s goal of the month. It was no surprise that the dangerous Michael Olise was involved in the build-up, but the quality of Adam Wharton’s final pass to the goalscorer was first class. When Eberechi Eze returns from the knee injury that sidelined him last weekend, the potential for slapstick comedy will be particularly high as the Eagles’ talented youngsters take on Manchester United’s compliant midfield. Olise and Eze may be making headlines again, but 20-year-old Wharton is quickly establishing himself as one of the most talented young players in the Premier League. Lmc