After an incredibly exciting opening weekend of Premier League action, the second week of fixtures is already upon us. While it is too early to know how things will pan out this term, there are already a number talking points to take away from the EPL. Here, we pick out four things that we will be keeping an eye on over the upcoming weekend of action.
Sigurdsson Everton debut
Gylfi Sigurdsson completed his £45 million move from Swansea during the week and the Icelandic international may well play a part in their game against Man City on Monday night. There is a positive atmosphere around the club after a busy summer which saw Koeman add eight new faces to the squad including Michael Keane and Wayne Rooney. It is uncertain whether Koeman will risk Sigurdsson at this stage of the season having only played one half of football since the end of last season but Everton fans will be hoping to get a glimpse of their new man in action.
Spurs’ Wembley Debut
Spurs may not have signed anyone this summer but, thanks to Chelsea, they go into their first home match of the season looking stronger than the only team who finished above them last term. With injuries and suspensions forcing Antonio Conte into defensive and midfield changes, Tottenham have an ideal opportunity to make themselves feel at home at Wembley.
The Probable Return Of Ander Herrera For Manchester United
There was no need for José Mourinho to select three central midfielders for Manchester United’s opening game. Nemanja Matic provided more than enough protection for United’s defence at the base of midfield but that meant that there was no room for Ander Herrera, one of Mourinho’s most consistent performers last season. But will it be a different story this weekend? United visit Swansea City on Saturday and it will be intriguing to see whether Mourinho opts for more strength in the middle by dropping one of Juan Mata, Henrikh Mkhitaryan or Marcus Rashford for Herrera. Given how impressive they were against West Ham, that could be an unwise move.
How Arsenal Performs Away To Stoke
A new season has arrived and Arsenal don’t appear yet again to have resolved any of their defensive frailties which have become synonymous with the club. Lacazette had an impressive debut and Giroud was a brilliant impact sub as ever but the goals they conceded last Friday evening are certainly a cause for concern for the London club. They will be pleased with the fight and heart that they showed to claim the 4-3 win over Leicester and they will hope to iron out the defensive vulnerabilities which will be helped by the return to fitness of club captain, Per Mertesacker.
Photo Credit: Getty
Other Articles
