Five things to look out for as Premier League clubs return to action

Exactly 100 days since Leicester’s 4-0 win over Aston Villa, England’s top-flight sides will take to the pitch again on Wednesday to finish the 2019/20 campaign. While Liverpool have all but sewn up the title, there is still plenty to play for among the other 19 Premier League clubs. Here are five talking points ahead of the first 12 matches.

Premier League clubs to struggle on home turf

Football is back in England but teams face the unfamiliar prospect of having to acclimatise to empty stands. Some teams have already hosted friendly games behind closed doors, and results will have done little to lift their spirits.

Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham all suffered defeats in warm-up games against teams of a lower level (Brentford, West Bromwich Albion and Norwich respectively), performances that could be indicative of what is to come. This has been a similar trend in the Bundesliga where, to date, only 11 of the 55 matches since the break have ended in a home win (read more about that here).

Will we see something similar this week in England? In only two of the opening 12 matches will the home team start above the visitors in the table (in both cases Manchester City). Meanwhile, of the nine corresponding fixtures last season, four were won by the hosts. Don’t be surprised if home wins are few and far between as teams find their footing.

Apprentice Arteta faces his mentor, but should focus lie further ahead?

Mikel Arteta will be back in familiar surroundings on Wednesday night as he takes Arsenal to the Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City. The Spaniard spent three and a half seasons there as Pep Guardiola’s assistant coach, and it was his positive test for Covid-19 back in March that delayed his return. Under normal circumstances a former apprentice would relish the chance to show the progress he has made, but perhaps not here.

Just three days later the Gunners travel to Brighton, whom they have failed to beat in any of their last four meetings (the most recent of which was a 2-1 loss at the Emirates in December). Incidentally, their following home game was an apathetic 3-0 defeat to City, which Arteta watched from the away dugout just days before his appointment. That loss was the Gunners’ sixth in succession against City in all competitions. Guardiola’s side do not play again until Monday, when they host Burnley.

While it would be noble for Arteta to go toe-to-toe with his old friend, the game at Brighton provides a more likely source for points. Given the players’ lack of match fitness, might he be better saving his resources for Saturday?

Mourinho reunited with United as he seeks to change recent record

The main event on Friday night (no disrespect to Norwich or Southampton) sees Tottenham host Manchester United. Jose Mourinho welcomes his former side to London with his current outfit just four points behind in the hunt for a European place next season. Victory would not only close the gap to a single point, but also provide a strong base for a difficult run-in.

However, the Spurs manager’s recent clashes against previous employers have not gone to plan. His first reunion with the Red Devils back in December ended in defeat, as did Tottenham’s two subsequent derbies against Chelsea. Factor in a league draw and an FA Cup final defeat against the Blues in 2018 while at United, and it’s been over two years since the Portuguese has exacted revenge over a club that sacked him.

The break has allowed both teams to welcome back players from the treatment room. Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min have returned to the Spurs fold, while Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford are in line to start for the visitors. Mourinho will hope the former duo exert greater influence.

Toffees’ terrible derby record set to continue

Ahead of Sunday’s Merseyside Derby the focus will, rightly, be on Liverpool. The visitors only need two more wins to seal their first league title in 30 years (and just one should City suffer an unlikely defeat to Arsenal). Jurgen Klopp’s side have shown unprecedented dominance over the other Premier League clubs this season and many expect this match to yield the first of those two necessary victories.

The visitors have only won one of their last five games at Goodison Park, but recent history is still with them. They have not lost to Everton in any competition since 2010 - 21 meetings ago – and their neighbours have only scored once in the aforementioned five matches. The Toffees have recorded three wins against teams in the top ten this season (17 games across all competitions).

Carlo Ancelotti has already got the better of Liverpool this season, winning and drawing against the Reds while in charge of Napoli in the Champions League. However, he was also at Everton for their embarrassing FA Cup defeat against their rivals’ second string. Without the passion of the Goodison faithful behind the hosts, a repeat of the latter result seems more likely this time.

Sheffield United show benefits of stability after promotion

The first Premier League game following the enforced break sees Aston Villa host fellow promoted side Sheffield United. This is a game in hand for both teams after the Villans’ appearance in the EFL Cup final, a high point for the Midlands outfit in what has been a poor season. The hosts currently sit 19th in the table and, although they are just two points from safety, it nonetheless remains an unenviable position.

The club have spent roughly £130m this season on 14 signings, while two further loanees arrived in January. This overhaul in personnel has done little to help them keep them hold of their Premier League status. Their approach, and its outcome, is reminiscent of Fulham’s a year ago as the previous play-off winners were relegated despite a reported £100m outlay on 15 players.

In contrast, Sheffield United have stuck with the core group of players that saw them promoted from the Championship. New signings have made just 40 league starts between them, with all but nine of those by forwards Oli McBurnie, Lys Mousset and Callum Robinson. The unchanged line-up behind them has thrust the Blades to seventh in the standings with the second-best defensive record in the league (25 goals against to Liverpool’s 21). Their only league defeats in 2020 have been to the champions-elect and holders Manchester City. Were it not for Liverpool’s form, Chris Wilder would have been a shoo-in for Manager of the Season. His faith has paid off.