The five big questions in the Premier League this weekend…
The future of Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil and under pressure Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew are among the five big questions of the Premier League weekend.
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5) Will Frank Lampard feature against his former club?
Frank Lampard was a legend at Chelsea, spending the greatest years of his career at Stamford Bridge and scoring a club-record 211 goals between 2001 and earlier this year from midfield. But his switch to Manchester City, albeit in a loan role from sister club New York City, has not gone down well in all parts of West London. The recently retired England international was a surprise started in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal last weekend, only to be hauled off at half-time. Interested observers will not be waiting and wondering whether the 36-year-old will get a chance against his former club.
4) Can Aston Villa continue their unbeaten run against Arsenal?
After two seasons of struggling, with back-to-back 15th place finishes, Paul Lambert’s young Aston Villa side have transformed into a strong Premier League outfit, more than capable of holding their own against any opposition: as demonstrated by last weekend’s 1-0 win over Liverpool. Also helped by the influence of assistant manager Roy Keane, Villa will go into their game with Arsenal full of confidence, with ten points from their first four matches. Their only issue so far has been finding the net, with just four goals scored. Can they keep their run going?
3) Will the Gaalacticos continue their resurgance at Leicester?
United grabbed their first win of the Premier League season last weekend, with their new signings coming to the fore in a 4-0 win at home to Queens Park Rangers. Louis van Gaal will be hoping to see his team continue that form against another newly promoted side, Leicester City, on Sunday. Leicester have five points to their name from their first four matches, and will be roared on by their supporters playing at their own stadium. You have to think they are less likely to roll over than the (not so) Super Hoops did last weekend.
2) Will Alan Pardew still be the manager of Newcastle United on Monday morning?
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew is firmly in the last chance saloon. He may be the second-longest serving current Premier League manager but Pardew will step into the eye of a protest storm at St James’ Park on Saturday, with his side bottom of the table with just two points from four games. He is adamant he will not be forced to leave by angry fans as he supposedly has the support of owner Mike Ashley. It’s also worth remembering that the manager of today’s opponents Hull City, Steve Bruce, as been strongly linked with his job. Add in the fact that when the sides last met and Pardew was in the dugout, the Newcastle manager head-butted an opposing player, and you can cxpect an explosive atmosphere.
1) Will Mesut Ozil get his chance to play through the middle at Arsenal?
Say what you liked about the pressure on a club record signing, but it is time for Mesut Ozil to deliver in an Arsenal shirt. Many Gunners fans are of the belief that the £42.5m German would be much more effective if played through the middle, rather than out wide. Arsene Wenger needs to abandon his flirtation with a 4-1-4-1 system that crams Jack Wilshere, Mikel Arteta and Aaron Ramsey in to central midfield and squeezes German World Cup winner Ozil out wide. A 4-2-3-1 with two deeper-lying central midfielders would surely suit them better, allowing Ozil to return to his preferred No?10 position.
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