10 Premier League talking points including Ruben Amorim’s debut, Arsenal worries and sack race

This weekend, Arsenal and Manchester City aim to catch up to Premier League leaders Liverpool, while Ruben Amorim will coach his first Manchester United game.

The Premier League returns this weekend after yet another demanding international break, and it won’t be disrupted until March.

Can I give you a preview of what’s to come in the Premier League this weekend now that the Nations League is done and you’ve finally calmed down following England’s historic return to Group A? It ought to be good.

When Ruben Amorim leads Manchester United in their first match as manager against former United coach Kieran McKenna and his Ipswich team on Sunday afternoon, it will undoubtedly be the greatest drama at Portman Road. Amorim’s appointment promises to completely upend everything now that Erik ten Hag is no longer there.

After two weeks off, Liverpool returns to the top of the table with a five-point lead. On Sunday, they take on Southampton, who are at the bottom of the table, while Arsenal is in dire need of a win against Nottingham Forest, who are playing well. Let Mirror Football guide you through each upcoming game; those are just a few of the talking points.

1. Maresca’s comeback Saturday at 12.30 p.m. against Chelsea

Enzo Maresca’s return to his old team will be the main event leading up to this game. After leading the Foxes to promotion from the Championship in his lone season as manager, the Italian traded Leicester for Chelsea in the summer.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall will be given a warm seat on the substitutes’ bench, while Pep Guardiola’s former coach, who thrived at Leicester, will undoubtedly receive a warm reception. After following Maresca to Stamford Bridge for £30 million in what already appears to be one of the season’s most senseless transfers, the former Leicester midfielder has played 44 Premier League minutes overall.

Enzo Maresca returns to Leicester for the first time since leaving ( Image: Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

2. Fulham vs. Wolves is scheduled for Saturday at 3 p.m.

Wolves had their first league victory of the season before to the break, following a terrible start to the season that included a string of unfortunate events and difficult match after difficult match. They now have a far more agreeable run of games in the run-up to Christmas after defeating Southampton 2-0: Fulham (A), Bournemouth (H), Everton (A), West Ham (A), Ipswich (H), and Leicester (A).

This season, every commentator has offered Wolves the cliched “they’ll be fine” comfort, but now they must demonstrate it. We can start to accept that Gary O’Neil’s team has been the victims of bad circumstances thus far after defeating a strong Fulham team at Craven Cottage.

3. The direct-style battle
Brentford vs. Everton, Saturday, 3 p.m.

The ball will be in the air a lot if you’re going to Goodison Park this weekend. With Sean Dyche and Thomas Frank mainly rejecting the tendency of playing out from the back in favour of a more route one strategy, Everton and Brentford are two of the Premier League’s most direct sides.

Jordan Pickford, the custodian for Everton, has more final-third incursions than any other player in the league (136), and many of those are long balls directed at Dominic Calvert-Lewin, the striker who has won the most aerial duels (47). They will need to be aware of Brentford’s quick beginnings, as the Bees have been scoring goals early lately, frequently from long-ball routines into the corners.

4. Arsenal vs. Nottingham Forest on Saturday at 3pm: The Gunners need to be tough.

If Arsenal loses to Forest this weekend, they may have to bid farewell to their hopes of winning the Premier League for the first time in 20 years. They have lost four straight games. Leandro Trossard sustained an injury while playing for Belgium, and the Gunners have had yet another terrible international break despite welcoming Martin Odegaard back from injury.

Following their withdrawal from England service, they will be hoping that Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are healthy. They must find a way to grind out a victory (as well as other outcomes to go their way) if they want to re-enter the Premier League title chase.

5. The shop window of the manager
Brighton vs. Bournemouth, Saturday, 3 p.m.

There was a lot of scepticism when Brighton hired Fabian Hurzeler as their new manager in the summer. How could a 31-year-old with so little experience handle the Best League in the WorldTM? It turns out to be pretty good. He has carried on the ambitious work for which the Seagulls have gained a reputation, and their most recent 2-1 victory over Man City demonstrated that they are both excellent and captivating.

At Bournemouth, Andoni Iraola has accomplished a similar feat by transforming the Cherries into an extremely diligent and formidable team with a variety of threats. Clean sheets are improbable, but this could be an interesting watch.

6. Watkins with a claim to make
Crystal Palace vs. Aston Villa, Saturday, 3 p.m.

Lee Carsley’s decision to bench Harry Kane in favour of Ollie Watkins, the Villa striker, was a significant one last week. Despite his quick goal against Greece, he still needs to persuade Thomas Tuchel that he deserves a spot ahead of the England captain.

Despite Watkins’ impressive output of five goals in 11 Premier League appearances this season, there is still a sense of unrealised potential. This season, he has wasted 11 crucial opportunities in the Premier League, more than any other player and more than Erling Haaland (10). Watkins can cause Tuchel a headache if he begins to hammer those opportunities in.

7. Crisis or blip?
Tottenham vs. Manchester City, Saturday, 5:30 p.m.

Given that they have won six of the last seven Premier League titles and are currently defending themselves against allegations of financial fair play violations, they are unlikely to receive much compassion, yet City is currently stuck in a rut. After falling to four straight losses in every tournament, Pep Guardiola is enduring his worst run of results in his managerial career.

The televised match on Saturday night should be an excellent test against Spurs, who are a free-flowing, high-scoring, but inconsistent team. With Liverpool playing on Sunday, City may close the margin to two points from their five-point lead going into the weekend. It appears that the Reds must win because they are playing Southampton.

8. Martin skating on thin ice at Sunday’s 2 p.m. Southampton vs. Liverpool game

Russell Martin frequently tells us that his team is playing terrific football even though they are in last place and have only won four of their last eleven games. To play their way out of problems, they have to have faith in the process and support themselves. For the time being, the Saints administration still supports him, since director of football Rasmus Ankersen is a fervent supporter and unyielding in his beliefs.

However, it will become increasingly difficult for him to keep his job if results are not obtained quickly. Southampton has already lost five very expensive points against Ipswich and Leicester at home. They now have a terrible schedule that includes Liverpool, Brighton (A), Chelsea (H), Aston Villa (A), and Tottenham (H). Martin might become the second Premier League manager fired since Ten Hag if things keep going in this route.

9. Amorim’s debut Sunday at 4.30 p.m. against Manchester United in Ipswich

Since taking control in February, INEOS has made a number of dubious decisions, like offering Ten Hag a new contract, supporting him with £180 million in new players, firing 250 players, and more. They need the most recent one to be the right one. They feel that Amorim can improve things on the training field and that he is the best young coach in Europe.

The 39-year-old is prepared to adhere to his ideology, and on Sunday, he will make his debut at Portman Road in the 3-4-3 style he employed at Sporting. If United wants to improve and move up the table from 13th, they will need to change quite rapidly.

10. Lopetegui will try to win over supporters at Monday’s 8 p.m. West Ham vs. Newcastle game.

Among West Ham fans, Julen Lopetegui is not a favourite. Despite spending £100 million on new players in the summer, the Europa League-winning manager has struggled to transform them into a cohesive, fluid unit. Lopetegui has already been jeered by his own supporters, and there are rumours that he has lost the dressing room.

To put it briefly, he desperately needs a victory that will raise his spirits. There are already reports that West Ham is looking for potential replacements, so Monday’s visit from Newcastle could be such an occasion. Lopetegui won’t want to give his employers any ideas because Sky’s Monday Night Football has turned into a venue for unemployed managers to advertise their names.