Irish Examiner: 10 things to look out for this weekend in the Premier League

(1) Casemiro crisis puts pressure on Ugarte

After Casemiro’s disastrous 45-minute outing in the thumping by Liverpool, Erik ten Hag looks certain to hand the Uruguayan midfielder Manuel Ugarte his debut at St Mary’s.

Last time out, Ten Hag was forced to send on the inexperienced Toby Collyer at the break to try to bring calmness alongside Kobbie Mainoo because Casemiro was so embarrassingly off the pace in gifting goals to Liverpool.

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Having not featured for Paris Saint-Germain before his deadline-day move to the Premier League, Ugarte got minutes in his legs with Uruguay, including a full 90 in Venezuela on Tuesday before returning to his new home to get to know his teammates.

It seems a big ask for Ugarte to perform on Saturday lunchtime after a hectic few weeks but Ten Hag has little to no choice because he needs results and is heavily invested in the 23-year-old midfielder. Will Unwin

(2) Delap handed his chance to shine

It must be a strange existence being an incredibly gifted youngster at one of the most successful clubs in the world.

Liam Delap was on the fringes at Manchester City, getting the odd chance to show what he could do without ever looking like he would realistically be given the job as backup to Erling Haaland.

Instead, Delap went through the traditional route of loans to clubs which play in a completely different manner to the City academy to test if he would sink or swim.

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Twenty-two league games at Stoke brought three goals, while at Preston he managed one in 15.

Eventually, he found a more promising temporary home at Hull, playing and finding the net regularly in the Championship such that Ipswich and Kieran McKenna took notice, bringing him to Portman Road after winning promotion.

In his first three appearances for the club having joined for a fee that could reach £20m, he has looked a dangerous No 9.

A full season in the top flight will help Delap develop and show Ipswich, like Brighton, are making the right moves in the market. WU

Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap celebrates scoring their side’s first goal of the game during the Premier League match at Portman Road, Ipswich. Picture date: Saturday August 31, 2024.(3) Glasner ponders host of new faces

After a frantic end to the transfer window, Oliver Glasner has some decisions to make about his starting line-up against Leicester as deadline-day signings Maxence Lacroix, Trevoh Chalobah and Eddie Nketiah could be given their debuts.

While Marc Guéhi will continue to provide a solid foundation for the Crystal Palace defence after much speculation about his future in the summer, the Austrian manager must decide where Lacroix – who played under Glasner at Wolfsburg – and Chalobah fit into his favoured back three.

The immediate return of the Palace old boys Jordan Ayew and Odsonne Édouard to Selhurst Park should provide a stiff test of the hosts’ credentials as both sides attempt to pick up a first victory of the new campaign.

It will also be intriguing to see whether Glasner intends to pair Nketiah in attack alongside Jean-Philippe Mateta, given the Frenchman’s rich vein of form last season. Ed Aarons

(4) Füllkrug set to feature at Fulham?

West Ham’s start under their new manager, Julen Lopetegui, has been fair in terms of results. Defeats to Aston Villa and Manchester City are excusable, while any win at Selhurst Park is a good win. But it remains unclear exactly how he wants his side to play, the grit which got them that result showcasing the best of David Moyes rather than any wrinkles added by his successor.

So far, Lopetegui has refrained from starting Niclas Füllkrug – signed from Borussia Dortmund for £27m – in any of his side’s three league games and, though there are nine clubs which have scored fewer goals than West Ham, of their four strikes, one was a dubious penalty from a non-threatening situation and another an own goal with none of their players anywhere near the ball.

As such, Lopetegui will surely be hoping to impose his vision upon proceedings and introduce Füllkrug for the struggling Michail Antonio, provided he has recovered from an injury sustained on international duty. Daniel Harris

(5) Gibbs-White to target Gravenberch?

After becoming Nottingham Forest’s first England international since 1997, Morgan Gibbs-White has another chance to show his quality on a grand stage. The No 10 uses his skills and intelligence to unlock defences but also possesses a serious work ethic, willing to chase down opponents in the hope of winning the ball back.

He will occupy the same part of the pitch as Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch, where the Dutchman takes possession and initiates attacks. Gravenberch is not a natural defensive midfielder; he is used in that role because of his ability to retain possession rather than for his love of the tackle.

He has performed exceptionally since being placed there by his compatriot Arne Slot but Nuno Espírito Santo will be willing to test Gravenberch with the confident Gibbs-White. If Forest can disrupthim they have a chance to keep their unbeaten run going. WU

(6) Manchester City machine rolling on

Three games, three wins, nine goals scored, two conceded: the champions have pummelled Chelsea, Ipswich and West Ham in an early season powerplay that already seems to cast most other contenders as also-rans again.

In the 2-1 victory of two seasons ago, Brentford pulled off the rare achievement of beating Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in front of their own crowd. That was in November 2022 and Ivan Toney scored twice for the visitors.

But he has now departed and with Erling Haaland already on seven goals and, Pep Guardiola says, fitter than a year ago, a point may be the best for which Thomas Frank’s men can realistically hope. Jamie Jackson

(7) Old faces’ reunion at Villa Park

Aston Villa and Everton got quite friendly in the summer, trading players to enhance their spreadsheets relating to profitability and sustainability rules.

Lewis Dobbin signed for Villa and then was loaned to West Brom, while Tim Iroegbunam joined Everton and Villa paid Everton £50m for Amadou Onana, who has scored two goals in his first three matches for the club.

Iroegbunam has in effect replaced Onana in Sean Dyche’s midfield but the Everton manager has a series of problems to fix; Everton have conceded 10 goals in three league matches and surrendered a two-goal lead in the 87th minute to lose at home to Bournemouth.

Villa are unbeaten against Everton in the league since returning to the top flight in 2019, winning four of their past five league meetings at Villa Park and drawing the other. How Dyche and Everton could do with breaking that run. Ben Fisher

(8) Travers gets rare opportunity for Cherries

Kepa Arrizabalaga will not get the opportunity to prove himself against Chelsea on Saturday, with Bournemouth’s on-loan goalkeeper ineligible to face his parent club – but another player will.

Mark Travers was last a regular at Bournemouth in 2021-22, the season they returned to the top flight under Scott Parker, and since then the Republic of Ireland international has spent time on loan at Stoke in the second tier fliting in and out of the team.

A 19-year-old Travers excelled on his Premier League debut against Tottenham five years ago and, with top-flight opportunities likely to be limited after Kepa’s arrival, he has a chance to showcase his ability against Chelsea with Will Dennis, who spent last season on loan at Kilmarnock, taking his spot on the bench.

Chelsea put six goals past Wolves in their last league away game so Travers may need to be on his toes. BF

(9) Arsenal allow their colours to spill over

Naturally, there is a lot riding on the north London derby. It has provided some memorable matches and dramatic outcomes down the years but something is going to be a touch different about this one.

Arsenal players will be wearing their new away kit after the referees’ body Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) decided their usual kit clashed with Tottenham’s home shirt, claiming it has “too much white”.

In the era where every club needlessly changes outfits for away games when there is no clash, to sell more shirts to punters, it seems a shame Arsenal are being forced to switch colours.

A minor thing, but when the majority of traditions are beingsold out for the sake of profit, seeing two historic clubs in traditional designs adds to the spectacle of the event. Instead, the demise of another bit of football history. WU

(10) Crunch early game for O’Neil

Wolves always knew two things would probably shape their season: the end of the transfer window and a tricky early run of fixtures. It is fair to say neither went swimmingly and Wolves, already defeated by Arsenal and Chelsea, host Newcastle on Sunday knowing failure to take at least a point would result in their worst start to a season since promotion in 2018.

Wolves have won one of their past 13 league games and Gary O’Neil, who signed a contract extension in the summer, is tuned into the mood music at Molineux. Wolves supporters are worried they are treading water but maybe they will spring another surprise under O’Neil.

“We did what we could do, and we signed some good players, but I think we still had the second-lowest net spend in the window,” the Wolves manager said. “Above Man City, interestingly … maybe we’ll finish above them.” BF