Guéhi Urgently Needed By Stunned City
Before last weekend’s trip to Manchester United, Saturday’s visit of Wolves appeared a formality for Manchester City.
But a 2-0 loss at Old Trafford was followed by Tuesday’s shock Champions League defeat at Bodø/Glimt and, with Rob Edwards’ men unbeaten in their past five games, the outcome now feels uncertain.
Pep Guardiola’s side should still win but they should have done, too, in Norway. Instead, City were schooled by Kjetil Knutsen’s men on a freezing night to forget in the Arctic Circle.
Yet with Marc Guéhi in line to make his City debut and Antoine Semenyo, who is not in the Champions League squad, probably returning, if the bottom side do gain a positive result then Guardiola’s team will stay mired in a mini-crisis.
*Manchester City v Wolves, Saturday.
Liverpool’s Slot Revival Fails To Convince
Last season, it took two goals from Mohamed Salah and real defensive rigour for Liverpool to triumph at Bournemouth. Andoni Iraola’s team had already beaten Arsenal and Manchester City at home.
To say the picture has changed at both clubs since then is to put it mildly, not least in the status of Salah.
His return at Marseille showed he had recovered a modicum of confidence while playing for Egypt at AFCON, though the scratchiness of his prior club form was also in evidence.
Liverpool’s 13-game unbeaten run has not convinced many and last Sunday featured a club briefing that countered unfounded speculation Arne Slot was for the chop.
Any change, should it come, is unlikely before the summer and Iraola would still be a leading contender. If his team’s slide has affected a previously sky-high reputation, the sale of players such as Semenyo offers plenty of mitigation.
*Bournemouth v Liverpool, Saturday.
Spurs’ Frank Still Teetering On Precipice
Tottenham have had a galvanising effect on domestic opposition. Bournemouth had not won since October, and triumphed 3-2 early this month. West Ham had not won in the league since November and were 2-1 victors in north London on Saturday.
Enter Burnley, whose last Premier League victory came in October and who have held Manchester United and Liverpool so far in 2026. The “Dr Tottenham” meme has become hackneyed but Spurs’ ability to raise previously doomed opponents is beyond a joke.
Tuesday’s victory over Borussia Dortmund was a fig leaf that followed a Sunday and Monday of speculation over Thomas Frank’s future. That Frank remains in charge speaks to a confused picture behind the scenes.
At least, some fans have said with gritted teeth and no little irony, Daniel Levy was decisive when it came to sacking managers.
Should Scott Parker triumph against his former club then the regime that ousted Levy will surely have its hand forced.
*Burnley v Tottenham, Saturday.
Newcastle, Villa Eye Big Prize
Might Newcastle be distracted by Wednesday’s impending Champions League trip to Paris Saint-Germain? Will Aston Villa be fatigued following Thursday night’s Europa League visit to Fenerbahce? How should Eddie Howe compensate for the likely absence of his injured captain, Bruno Guimarães? Given Howe knows Unai Emery was Newcastle’s first choice to become their new manager after the club’s Saudi Arabia-led takeover in 2021, does he have an extra incentive to outwit his counterpart? Are Villa extra-motivated by last weekend’s surprise home defeat to Everton?
So many questions surround this match but one thing is clear: the outcome will help determine qualification for next season’s Champions League and that represents a priority for both clubs.
Villa are third with 43 points and Newcastle eighth on 33. But Emery knows his team’s advantage can be easily eroded, while Howe is encouraged that Newcastle remain only three points adrift of fourth-placed Liverpool.
*Newcastle v Aston Villa, Sunday.
Arsenal Attack Sharp For Man U’s Visit
A few weeks ago it seemed that Arsenal’s challenge for silverware would be severely undermined by their mounting injury list, even after spending more than £250m on new players in the summer. But with Gabriel Jesus – the two-goal hero against Inter on Tuesday night – and Kai Havertz back to provide competition up front for Viktor Gyökeres, suddenly Mikel Arteta has quality back-up options in every position.
The only potential weakness is at the back, with Piero Hincapié and Riccardo Calafiori still sidelined, although Cristhian Mosquera’s excellent performance against Inter in his first game since injuring his ankle against Brentford at the start of December, greatly encouraged Arteta.
The Spain Under-21s defender wasn’t due to return for another two weeks and the Arsenal manager has praised the club’s medical department for nursing him back to health so quickly. “They’ve done incredibly well with him to work every single hour to give him the chance to play,” said Arteta.
*Arsenal v Manchester United, Sunday.
*PHOTO CAPTION: Salah…raring to go and prove something again?
