The João Pedro-Delap Collaboration
João Pedro and Liam Delap have not had much time to form an understanding. They started together when Chelsea visited West Ham in their second game of the season but the partnership was disrupted when Delap injured a hamstring against Fulham a week later. The striker was out for two months and then foolhardy when he returned to action, stupidly getting himself sent off when Chelsea won at Molineux in the Carabao Cup last week. However, Enzo Maresca has both forwards available for his side’s league game against Wolves on Saturday. Delap came off the bench during Chelsea’s draw at Qarabag on Wednesday and looked eager to make up for lost time. A goal was elusive but there is an argument for Maresca to start Delap at No 9 and João Pedro at No 10 against Wolves. Doing so could give Chelsea more incisiveness against a low block.
*Chelsea v Wolves, Saturday.
Rampaging Haaland Takes On Champions
“Stop Erling Haaland” is surely the mission for Liverpool as Arne Slot plots to execute a repeat of last season’s win at the Etihad Stadium, when goals from Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai secured a league double over Manchester City. The Norwegian No 9 has netted 27 times for club and country, including 13 in the Premier League, yet zoom out and the timing of this fixture should please the leaders, Arsenal, whose advantage is six points over City and seven over Liverpool. If Mikel Arteta’s side can beat Sunderland on Saturday then any result on Sunday in east Manchester would benefit them, with a draw probably ideal.
*Manchester City v Liverpool, Sunday
Xhaka Out To Complete Redemption Arc
Granit Xhaka was never the most popular figure at Arsenal. The old tweets of New York’s newly elected mayor and lifelong Gooner, Zohran Mamdani, surfaced this week after his victory. Mamdani took aim at the midfielder in the lead-up to Arsenal’s match against Chelsea on Boxing Day 2020. Xhaka proved his critics wrong that day, scoring a sensational free kick in a 3-1 win, and has done the same since leaving Arsenal. Xhaka has been a revelation at Bayer Leverkusen – where he won the Bundesliga title undefeated – and now Sunderland, where he is adored by fans for perfectly complementing the youth of Régis Le Bris’ surging side. The league leaders will go to the Stadium of Light wary of their former captain, who will surely be out to prove a point.
*Sunderland v Arsenal, Saturday.
Richarlison Needs To Step Up For Spurs
Time is running out for Richarlison. Injuries to Dominic Solanke and Randal Kolo Muani gave the Brazilian a consistent run in Thomas Frank’s starting XI but, with just one goal since the first league game of the season, he has not taken his opportunities. Now, with Kolo Muani fit, the former Everton striker has had to make do with a place on the bench and failed to impress against FC Copenhagen in midweek, missing a penalty that another striker, Dane Scarlett, won. Competition is fierce, even for a Spurs side that registered 0.1 xG in the defeat to Chelsea – the lowest by any Premier League team this season – and speculation has already begun before the January transfer window. Both Ivan Toney (who played under Frank at Brentford) and Dusan Vlahovic (whose contract at Juventus is up next summer) have been linked. Tottenham have money to spend so Richarlison must make the most of his minutes if wants to have a future at the club, as well as keep himself in contention for Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad with the World Cup coming up next summer.
*Tottenham v Manchester United, Saturday.
