Premier League: 10 things to watch out for this weekend

- Is it possible for Glasner to find success against Manchester City once more?
- Will the match against Newcastle provide insights into Amorim's latest strategies?
- Can the interim manager motivate the relegated Saints?
- Is Bournemouth capable of stopping their downward trend against Fulham?
- Can opponents from the lower half of the table provide a lift for Forest?
- Will Delap demonstrate to Chelsea what they are missing?
- Is Salah able to regain his form in the match against West Ham?
- Will Wolves maintain their streak of victories?
- Can Arsenal sustain their performance in the league this season?
- Is Brighton poised to break their recent streak without a win?

Can Glasner replicate his success against Man City?
Crystal Palace and Oliver Glasner have demonstrated an ability to challenge Pep Guardiola’s team effectively.

The Eagles have suffered only two defeats in their last six encounters at the Etihad Stadium across all competitions.

Buoyed by this record, Glasner was unexpectedly open about the tactical strategies that contributed to his team's performance following the 2-2 draw at Selhurst Park in December.

"We recognized that we could maintain a higher intensity than Manchester City, and all the data supported this," he stated. "We understood that during transitions, we could exploit the spaces behind them. If we could get them moving, they might encounter difficulties."

"When City employs a 4-1-4-1 formation with a single defensive midfielder, it creates significant gaps on either side of that player. The key is to identify and utilize those spaces."

Palace is not the first team to exploit Manchester City's vulnerabilities in this manner, utilizing aggressive midfield pressing, rapid transitions, and targeting the areas around Rodri.

This strategy could be effective once more in the upcoming early kick-off, not only due to Manchester City's ongoing struggles in this regard but also because Crystal Palace is currently in exceptional form.

Only Liverpool (23 points) have accrued more points than Crystal Palace (22) in their last ten Premier League matches. Additionally, the Eagles remain unbeaten in their last ten away league fixtures as they prepare to visit the Etihad.

Conversely, City has been unable to find the net in three of their last six games, making them susceptible to Palace’s robust defense, which has conceded only three goals in the last five matches, and the counter-attacks spearheaded by Jean-Philippe Mateta, who ranks second in Premier League goals for 2025 with nine.

This match marks Kevin De Bruyne's first appearance at the Etihad Stadium since he announced his departure this summer, which could hold considerable significance.

For those with a romantic view of football, two points stand out: De Bruyne made his Premier League debut for Manchester City against Crystal Palace in September 2015, and he has recorded more goal contributions against Southampton (14) than against Palace (12).

Will the upcoming match against Newcastle provide insight into Ruben Amorim's recent strategies? Gary Neville has criticized the "robotic" style of play that he believes is becoming a "disease" in the Premier League. The response to a lackluster Manchester derby seemed somewhat exaggerated.

Neville's frustration was primarily aimed at the rigid football style seen during the initial phase of Amorim's tenure, as Manchester United appears to be adopting a slow and methodical approach while they adapt to his 3-4-2-1 formation.

This approach mirrors the early strategies of Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola at Arsenal and Manchester City, respectively, where foundational structures were established first, allowing for creativity to flourish only after the essential principles were ingrained.

We will gain further clarity on whether Manchester United is advancing in this aspect or merely being overly cautious, as some critics have suggested, when they encounter a team that plays with vigor and dynamism.

Newcastle United will bring an energetic and assertive style as they aim to achieve their first league double over Manchester United since the 1930/31 season, placing the onus on the visitors to match their intensity. A failure to do so may raise new questions regarding the direction of the Amorim project.

Currently, only Leicester City (14) and Everton (13) have failed to score in more different Premier League matches this season than Manchester United (12). Additionally, Amorim's average of 1.15 points per league match ranks as the third lowest in the club's history, surpassed only by Alfred Albutt's 0.73 and Scott Duncan's 1.00 from the old First Division, when adjusted to a three-point system for wins.

A cautious approach against Manchester City is justifiable; however, attempting a similar strategy at St James' Park is unlikely to succeed.

Will the interim manager motivate the relegated Saints?
The inevitable has finally transpired. Southampton has been effectively relegated for what seems like months, but it became official last weekend, prompting the club to part ways with Ivan Juric after a mere 105 days in charge.

This development does not bode well for Aston Villa.

History in the Premier League shows that clubs often experience a sudden resurgence in form once relegation is confirmed, as if a burden has been lifted, allowing them to play more freely.

The likelihood of such a turnaround may be higher with Simon Rusk as the interim manager, and if Southampton does experience a revival, a rotated Villa lineup could be at risk.

Unai Emery made eight changes to his starting eleven for the match against Nottingham Forest last weekend, and with the UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain sandwiched between two legs, he is expected to adopt a similar approach again.

Villa has secured only two victories in their last nine Premier League matches immediately following a Champions League game, with half of their league losses (4 out of 8) occurring after European fixtures.

Can Bournemouth stop their decline against Fulham?
AFC Bournemouth's season hangs in the balance.

With six Premier League matches without a win, they currently sit 10th and are at risk of slipping into the lower half of the table, jeopardizing the progress that had previously placed Andoni Iraola’s team in contention for Champions League spots.

They have suffered four consecutive home defeats and conceded two goals in each of their last five Premier League matches.

It is crucial for Iraola to find a solution to halt this downward trend, and he will not welcome the challenge posed by Fulham, a resilient side that seems particularly adept at neutralizing Bournemouth’s attacking threats.

Only Manchester City, with 289 high turnovers, have surpassed Bournemouth's 287 in the Premier League this season. Additionally, Iraola’s team leads in shot-ending high turnovers with 61, showcasing the vigorous pressing and rapid transitions that characterize his management style.

However, only Bournemouth and Brighton & Hove Albion, with 26 and 27 respectively, have conceded fewer shots following high turnovers than Fulham, who have allowed 28, indicating their cautious approach.

Marco Silva is adept at slowing the pace of the game and countering Bournemouth’s pressing strategy, which could prolong Iraola’s streak without a victory.

Can bottom-half opponents provide a boost for Forest?
For third-placed Forest, every league match now resembles a cup final, and this particular game holds symbolic importance as it marks the beginning of their encounters with teams in the lower half of the table.

Out of their remaining eight matches, six are against clubs currently ranked 11th or lower.

On the surface, this bodes well for their supporters, especially considering that Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad has triumphed in 12 of their last 13 Premier League encounters against teams in the bottom half.

Nevertheless, there are indications that Forest may be losing momentum, as they now sit just five points above the Champions League qualification spots.

As their impressive season approaches its climax, the pressure will intensify. Their performance against a resilient Everton side will reveal whether they can maintain their form.

Any further dropped points or signs of ineffectiveness against a determined defense could signal trouble ahead.

Will Delap reveal Chelsea's shortcomings?
Chelsea is currently struggling to find the back of the net.

Since December 21, only five teams have scored fewer goals than Chelsea’s 17 in 15 Premier League matches, and only Leicester (2.3 percent) has a lower shot-conversion rate than Chelsea's 7.1 percent, a situation exacerbated by Cole Palmer’s declining form and Nicolas Jackson’s injury.

Neither player was in the starting lineup last weekend, which contributed to their 0-0 draw against Brentford. Enzo Maresca is unlikely to exclude them both from the lineup again.

Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap may very well demonstrate to Chelsea what they are lacking.

This season, Delap has netted 12 goals in the Premier League for Ipswich. In the history of the Premier League, only three players have achieved a similar feat for a promoted team while being 22 years old or younger: A