Premier League: Major talking points this weekend

• We look at some of the major talking points in the Premier League after European midweek action.

We look at some of the major talking points in the Premier League after European midweek action.

Inform Fulham keep impressing

Fulham players celebrate a goal in the Premier League match against West Ham, December 10, 2023.
| PHOTO: Sky Sports |

We discussed the growing desperation of Fulham for a center-forward only a few weeks ago. There was an Aleksandar Mitrovic-shaped void in the team’s offense, and neither Carlos Vinicius nor Raul Jimenez seemed to be able to fill it.

In four Premier League games, the Cottagers have scored 16 goals; these victories include back-to-back 5-0 triumphs against Nottingham Forest and West Ham. The 32-year-old Jimenez is reversing the clock and putting on displays not seen since his heyday in the old era of Wolves, as Marco Silva’s team can’t stop scoring at the moment.

This weekend, the West Londoners embark on one of the hardest journeys in the Premier League right now as they take on Newcastle. Although the Magpies have won seven of their eight home games so far this season, an invincible Fulham will be confident in surprising Eddie Howe’s injury-plagued team.

Newcastle has now dropped its previous three games across all competitions. In their last two league games, they were defeated 7-1 overall by Everton and Tottenham.

We’re witnessing Sean Dyche’s masterclass

Sean Dyche.|PHOTO: CBS|

Burnley fans were grateful for Sean Dyche’s contributions. Dyche received his flower despite the stigma associated with his management style, thanks to two promotions and a stretch of top-flight stability for the Clarets on a very limited budget.

Regardless of the outcome, a recruitment strategy centered mostly on the United Kingdom and adherence to 4-4-2 were all sticks with which to beat Dyche. After a daring waltz to the Championship championship, Vincent Kompany’s arrival seemed to solidify the storyline around his predecessor. However, Dyche has thrived at Everton while Kompany’s team has suffered mightily with the move up.

After going winless for five games to start the season, it was expected that Everton would struggle again, but the Toffees have recovered well. In their previous 11 games, including their last three in a row, Dyche’s team has won seven of them while keeping a clean sheet. Everton would be tenth in the league if it weren’t for their 10-point punishment.

Everton has quickly developed into a side that the manager finds more and more difficult to play against. Alongside Dyche favorite James Tarkowski, Jarrad Branthwaite has excelled at center defense. The combination of Idrissa Gueye, Amadou Onana, and Abdoulaye Doucoure in the midfield provides strength and persistence. There are a lot of reasons for hope at Goodison Park, including the presence of fit-again Dominic Calvert-Lewin and hardworking wide players.

Erik ten Hag under pressure

Erik ten Hag is a man under pressure, as concerns about his position have grown following Manchester United’s lackluster Champions League exit. The Red Devils, who finished bottom in a small group, were knocked out of Europe completely. Ten Hag’s squad lost 3-0 to Bournemouth at home last weekend, dropping them out of the top four.

The Dutchman, who is now under criticism, has not had a good schedule. This weekend, United is scheduled to play Liverpool. The team had a mix of successful and disappointing results in the previous campaign, with the 7-0 loss at Anfield being the worst. It may have been an odd score, but losing to Manchester United at home to their bitter rivals in a competitive match is probably a low the team will never forget.

At a venue where his team has had difficulty in recent seasons, Ten Hag cannot afford another subpar performance. Since 2016, Manchester United has not won at Anfield in seven attempts.

Liverpool, on the other hand, has triumphed in each of its seven home games this season and scored 21 goals in their previous five league encounters with the Red Devils.

Chelsea leaking goals

Pochettino. Photo/Sky Sports

Chelsea are now in disarray. After Todd Boehly and company took control, the west Londoners have spent record amounts, yet they are still stuck in 12th place in the standings with no indications of turning things around. For Blues supporters, finishing 12th last season is starting to seem all too familiar.

One of Mauricio Pochettino’s many issues has been a lack of defensive consistency. Only three clean sheets have been maintained by the Blues this season, and none since the first weekend of October, during which they went nine games without a shutout. Chelsea has let up 14 goals in their past five games.

This weekend, Pochettino’s faltering team will host Sheffield United at Stamford Bridge in a match that will be seen as a must-win for the under-fire manager. In 2023, only Bournemouth (19) has suffered more defeats than Chelsea (18). Even though he has begged for patience, another loss to the relegation-threatened Blades might be problematic for the manager.