1) West Ham must stop losing leads
Despite the emotional high of beating Everton on penalties in the FA Cup on Tuesday night, any cold analysis of West Ham United’s overall performance would focus on the way they let a lead slip for the fourth successive match. Having conceded a late equaliser against Swansea City last Saturday, it was against 10 men this time. Everton had lost Aiden McGeady to a red card shortly after Enner Valencia opened the scoring just after half-time and West Ham deserved criticism for failing to press home their advantage, even though it was a moment of genius from Kevin Mirallas that forced extra-time. There is a feeling that West Ham are too quick to fall back if a second goal does not quickly follow the first, inviting pressure on, and although they are adept at defending deep and in numbers, it can leave them vulnerable to pieces of individual inspiration, such as Mirallas’s free-kick. West Ham need to display a touch more conviction against Hull City on Sunday. JS
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2) Will Gil give Villa fans reasons to be cheer ... well, slightly less fed-up?
Having put a run of five top flight games without a goal behind them earlier this season, Aston Villa go into their match against Liverpool this Saturday with just one goal to their name in their last six. It is a lamentable record which under-fire manager Paul Lambert hopes new signing Carles Gil will help rectify. The 22-year-old attacking midfielder and Spain Under-21 international is a £3.2m acquisition from Valencia, but has been playing his football on loan at Eiche for the past two seasons.
A product of Valencia’s youth system and originally a target for Everton, Gil is strong on both feet, a splendid dribbler and as comfortable on either flank as he is playing behind a lone striker. The prospect of seeing him in action against Liverpool - either from the start or in a cameo - will at least give weary, existentially angst-ridden Villa fans some much-needed grounds for optimism as they leave their homes on Saturday. “We’ve been on the lookout for a creative player and he will certainly bring that extra element to the side,” said Paul Lambert of his new signing. “He’s only 22 years of age but he will come here and give us something I don’t think we have at the moment.” Worryingly for the Scot, a paltry return of just six goals and four assists in 77 appearances for Eiche and Valencia suggests the creative playmaker may have found the perfect home at Villa Park. BG
3) Will Manchester United play ... well?
When have Manchester United played well this season? The 5-3 defeat at Leicester City featured some good attacking football in patches, despite its farcical defending from a United point of view. The 4-0 win over Queens Park Rangers in September suggested that everything was going to click and they were impressive in the first half at Tottenham Hotspur, but faded after the break, while they took Newcastle United and Liverpool apart at Old Trafford recently. Mostly, though, United have plodded. And United are not supposed to plod, they are supposed to capture the imagination. At least, that is what they did under Sir Alex Ferguson. Since his departure, however, watching United has been a bit of a chore and that should not be the case with the players at Louis van Gaal’s disposal. However badly they need to get back on track after losing against Southampton, Saturday’s trip to QPR is a fine opportunity for United to reintroduce some fantasy into their play. JS
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4) A new beginning for Defoe and end of the road for Kaboul?
Having kept himself trim by training with Tottenham Hotspur’s development squad, Jermain Defoe will be a short price to return the favour by scoring against his old club this weekend. The striker has scored on debut at all six of his clubs, a remarkable record he will hope to continue if he makes his first appearance for goal-shy Sunderland at White Hart Lane. Considering they’re prepared to pay wages of £70,000 per week over three-and-a-half years for the 32-year-old’s services, it seems Sunderland are unconcerned by Defoe’s record of just two goals in his past 1,262 minutes of Premier League football. Alternatively, they’re just desperate: their striking woes are well documented, with Connor Wickham having been played out of his favoured centre-forward position all season and Stephen Fletcher forced to feed off scraps from a midfield slow in creating chances. Defoe himself has moved to assuage concerns about his age, correctly pointing out that he’s looked after himself. He doesn’t drink or smoke and, for what it’s worth, seems a good bloke who will hopefully inject some much-needed pace and pazazz into a turgid, ponderous Sunderland attack.
Tottenham have their own problems, in defence. Against Burnley on Wednesday night Jan Vertonghen publicly turned on his captain Younès Kaboul, who is rumoured to be a disruptive influence off the field and was unquestionably disruptive on it during the opening minutes of their FA Cup replay. With the crowd publicly backing Vertonghen’s act of insubordination, it is difficult to know where Kaboul can or will go from here. Elsewhere and quickly, one imagines. Having fallen out of favour with his manager and his team-mates, the Frenchman’s future at White Hart Lane looks increasingly bleak. BG
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5) Saints’ squad will be tested again
Southampton’s midweek victory over Ipswich Town came at a cost, with Victor Wanyama limping off in the first half with a hamstring injury. That was a blow given that Morgan Schneiderlin is already nursing a groin problem, Toby Alderweireld suffered an injury against United and Southampton’s squad is being stretched again. Newcastle United could be forgiven for thinking that this is a good time to play them. But wait! Florin Gardos is starting to show that he is an able deputy for Alderweireld and look what happened the last time Schneiderlin and Wanyama were missing: Ronald Koeman reconfigured his side into a 5-3-2 formation and their three-man midfield of Harrison Reed, James Ward-Prowse and Steven Davis dominated Everton in a 3-0 victory for Southampton last month. Southampton have gone seven games without defeat since then, drawing with Chelsea and beating Arsenal and United along the way. JS
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6) Leicester City: gritty. Plus the need for some Stoke zip
This is a big game for Leicester City. A win, with results elsewhere going their way, could move the Foxes out of the relegation zone and up to the dizzy heights of 16th, which would be just the tonic for Nigel Pearson before his side embarks on a tough run featuring matches against Manchester United (a), Crystal Palace (h), Arsenal (a), Everton (a), Chelsea (h) and Manchester City (h) that could well end with them being cast adrift at the bottom of the table again, albeit with a comparatively easy run of fixtures to the end of the season. Not having played for a month, record signing Andrej Kramaric is unlikely to start for the hosts, but is expected to feature at some point, assuming he is (or has been, depending on when you’re reading this) granted a work permit after an FA-backed Leicester City delegation told the Home Office the 23-year-old Croatian is “a special talent” who will “enhance the Premier League”. Leicester fans will certainly be hoping that is the case. Having kept clean sheets in three of their past four matches, their team could do with a regular scorer to maximise returns from their new-found defensive solidity.
In the absence of Mame Biram Diouf, away on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Senegal, Stoke lacked pace and bite up front in defeat against their old friends Arsenal last week and have been linked with a move for Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko this week. At the time of writing, the Bosnian is still a Manchester City player and would seem a strange choice considering it’s added zip that Stoke require, not least away from home where they rely on sitting back and containing before hitting teams on the counter-attack. With Victor Moses fit again after eight weeks out with a thigh injury, his inclusion and pace could spell the difference between victory and defeat for the Potters. BG
7) Will Pulis frustrate Everton again?
It was a defeat against Crystal Palace at Goodison Park that derailed Everton’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League and they may be fearful that Tony Pulis is planning a repeat of that performance now that he is at West Bromwich Albion. Pulis Palace’s defended brilliantly that night, soaking up Everton’s possession football and using their speed on the counter-attack, and it will not be a surprise if he sets West Brom up in similar fashion. Everton’s supporters have been frustrated with their team’s sideways passing and lack of end product. West Brom will be happy if much of the play is conducted in front of them and they have players who can hurt Everton on the break. Stephane Sessegnon was excellent against West Ham on New Year’s Day and Saido Berahino is flickering up front again. JS
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8) Can Arsenal’s players achieve a collective state of zen?
Manchester City’s 6-3 win at home to Arsenal was one of the more entertaining games of last season and Arsenal fans will hope, rather than expect, their players to have learned from the loose passing and defensive carelessness that cost them so dearly at the Etihad. The absence of Yaya Touré wreaking havoc through the centre for the home side should work in Arsenal’s favour, while City will be pleased that Mikel Arteta will be absent from Arsenal’s midfield. “We need to play with more spirit, with more aggression and be very focused - if not these teams will kill you,” said Santi Cazorla. “We need to be perfect if we want to win.” Occasions when Arsenal’s players achieve such a collective state of zen are few and far between, but in the wake of their comprehensive hiding of Stoke last weekend one feels Sunday afternoon might just be such an occasion. Whatever the outcome, the sight of teams boasting the sublime talents of Sergio Aguero and Alexis Sánchez among their respective ranks going toe to toe is one to savour for every football fan. BG
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9) Will Zouma start again?
One casualty of Chelsea’s 5-3 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on New Year’s Day appears to be Gary Cahill, whose place alongside John Terry was taken by Kurt Zouma in last Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Newcastle United on Saturday. It was Zouma’s first start in the Premier League and the young Frenchman acquitted himself well, warming to his task once his early nerves had settled. Will José Mourinho trust the 20-year-old to cope with the threat of Swansea City’s Bafétimbi Gomis or will he decide that the more experienced Cahill has served his punishment and deserves to resume his previously solid partnership with Terry?
Another issue for Chelsea is their away form. Maybe it’s a west London thing. QPR cannot stop losing away matches and now Chelsea are struggling on their travels. Is it contagious? Chelsea have won one of their past five away matches - the 2-0 win at Stoke City last month - and that will offer their opponents encouragement that they are vulnerable away when they step away from Stamford Bridge. Mourinho’s side have never lost at the Liberty Stadium but by the same token, they have won once in four visits there and Swansea will back themselves to cause a shock, despite selling Wilfried Bony to City. JS
10) Burnley’s battle with Palace
With Crystal Palace having failed to score in five of their past six Premier League matches away from home, Alan Pardew is lucky to be spoilt for choice up front with Glenn Murray, Fraizer Campbell and Dwight Gayle all in contention for starts at Turf Moor. He also has Yaya Sanogo in on loan. Having struggled for goals earlier in the season, with Sam Vokes injured and Danny Ings isolated up front as the defenders and midfielders who provided him with so many Championship assists were pinned back on their heels, Sean Dyche’s side have found scores easier to come by in recent months, chalking up one or more goals in 14 of their past 17 matches in all competitions.
With Vokes having come through his first 90 minutes since March, Danny Ings in form and Kieran Trippier unlikely to be kept out with the tight hamstring that forced him out of Burnley’s midweek FA Cup defeat at the hands of Spurs after 67 minutes, there’s a real feeling the band that achieved promotion is finally back together. Apparently rejuvenated under new manager Pardew, Crystal Palace will be equally upbeat ahead of a what promises to be a tight contest that neither team. Burnley are warm favourites and their tag is just about justified. A scoreless stalemate was the outcome in the corresponding fixture at Selhurst Park, but while another draw would be no great shock, the scoreboard operator is unlikely to be kept idle. BG
