Premier League match preview

Chelsea vs Arsenal

Many Arsenal supporters believe this match will hinge on whether or not Cole Palmer shakes off the damage done to his leg by Manchester United’s Lisandro Martinez who raked his studs down the back of Cole’s leg. He limped out of Old Trafford after having ice packs bandaged around the wound. He, like all the other Chelsea players, was given Monday off as a rest day and he turned up for training after that albeit his workout was very light indeed. He has had further time to rest his injury because he was not involved in the mid-week Conference League match against Armenian side Noah at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night.

By coincidence, Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca warned Cole last week that his excellent form and that of Chelsea would make him a target for defenders and that is exactly what happened against United. Maresca was incensed that Martinez was not sent off for the foul and simply received a yellow card.

Mikel Arteta was hoping that his captain Martin Odegaard would make this match but a late fitness test on Saturday morning will determine whether or not the Norway midfielder makes the team. Bukayo Saka captained the side in midweek and will do so again against Chelsea if Odegaard doesn’t start. Kai Havertz suffered in a clash of heads in the Champions League against Inter Milan and left the field with blood pouring from the wound. He is doubtful but medics have been working on his injury since Wednesday evening.

Enzo Maresca rested most of his stars in midweek against Armenian side Noah and should be at full strength depending on Palmer but Nicolas Jackson, Pedro Neto and Noni Madueke should start in the attacking line.

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Liverpool v Aston Villa

Villa coach Unai Emery said he was not worried by his sides 4-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur last weekend. He is much more concerned with deciding who to start between his regular striker Ollie Watkins and super-sub Jhon Duran who will line up against the tough defensive pair of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate unless Arne Slot decides to stick with Joe Gomez. Behind the Villa striker will be Morgan Rogers and John McGinn but it is a tough defensive choice for Emery of Lucas Digne, Pau Torres, Ezri Konsa and Matty Cash who will try and contain Mo Salah and Cody Gakpo but club captain Tyrone Mings is also likely to start for the defence after a long injury lay off and despite his horrendous misjudgement when he handled the ball in midweek and gave away a penalty which cost Villa the Champions League game against Belgian side Club Brugge.

For Liverpool Luis Diaz has put himself back in contention for a place after his midweek heroics in the Champions League. Once again there will be no Diogo Jota or Federico Chiesa, both of whom are injured.

Villa are almost unpredictable at the moment. This could either be a walk in the park for Liverpool or a tough afternoon’s draw depending on which of Unai Emery’s team turns up.

West Ham v Everton

Everton’s away match this weekend is a huge game for the Toffees because of the previous two matches losing to Southampton and drawing with Fulham who scored in the last minute of extra time. Coach Sean Dyche says that the Hammers have some top quality players who can win a game but they are struggling with new coach Julen Lopetegui failing to live up to expectations. Dyche is determined to take the game to West Ham and press hard instead of sitting back and playing for a draw. He is demanding intensity and enthusiasm from his players and he believes he already knows just how the home team will play. Many Everton supporters believed they were going to get aggressive, pressing with attacking football this season but things have not turned out that way and Everton have become a soft touch for teams around them. If they lose this one, pressure on Dyche will be ramped up.

December is a period which will severely test Everton with games against Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea.

Julen Lopetgui is in much the same position after a 3-0 beating by Nottingham Forest last weekend. I have learned that the coach has lost many players in his dressing room who say they simply don’t understand what his strategy is. West Ham have lost five of their opening ten games and a loss to Everton will almost certainly see him sacked.

Tottenham v Ipswich

Kalvin Phillips’ miserable dismissal cost Ipswich their first victory of the season and leaves them short in midfield this weekend away at Tottenham. The midfielder is on loan from Manchester City and has played seven times for Town this season. He avoided a red card just before half time when he elbowed Facundo Buonanotte in the back of the head and received a yellow card. A late tackle in the 77th minute on Ricardo Pereira saw him earn a red and he will miss the game against Tottenham this weekend. Coach Kieran McKenna will again rely on his forward line of Omari Hutchinson, Leam Delap and Conor Chaplin has earned a recall. It is defence that Ipswich are so vulnerable and it is here that the Tractor Boys have lost or drawn matches when shipping late goals. Against the might of Dominik Solanke and Son Heung-Min, this game could be over by half time depending which Tottenham team turns up because they too are liable to give away a win at the moment.

Last weekend Postecoglou selected a midfield of Pape Matar Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski which meant James Maddison was left on the bench and I hear this might be the starting position again.