1<\/p>\n
Castellanos and Pablo make an impact<\/p>\n
Nuno Esp\u00edrito Santo has rolled back the years in an attempt to save West Ham. He has gone old-school, switching to a gung-ho 4-4-2 system to give his side more threat in the final third. Pablo Felipe and Taty Castellanos, both January arrivals, have altered the face of the attack, but neither forward has been prolific. Castellanos has scored three goals in all competitions since joining from Lazio and Pablo, who is yet to open his account in English football, failed to convert during last week\u2019s penalty shootout defeat by Leeds<\/a> in the FA Cup. As a pair, though, Castellanos and Pablo have been oddly effective. Are they any good? Unclear. Do they run around a lot and give a previously ponderous West Ham more energy? Undoubtedly. Played together, Pablo and Castellanos do a worthy job for the team. Importantly, they create space for the wingers, Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville, who hopes to return from a calf injury for Friday night\u2019s vital home game against Wolves. Bowen and Summerville are the big threats; they are West Ham\u2019s main source of goals, but both are more dangerous with Pablo and Castellanos in the team. Jacob Steinberg<\/p>\n 2<\/p>\n Havertz in line for No 10 role?<\/p>\n Kai Havertz\u2019s winner for Arsenal at Sporting<\/a> on Tuesday was the Gunners\u2019 fourth Champions League goal this season to be scored or assisted by a substitute: the best return by any team in a single season in the competition\u2019s history. It\u2019s a knack which has led to Arsenal\u2019s \u201cfinishers\u201d contributing to 38 goals in all competitions this season (24 goals and 14 assists), which is more goals off the bench than for any other team in Europe\u2019s top five leagues. With fresh doubts over Martin \u00d8degaard\u2019s fitness to face Bournemouth on Saturday, Arteta may opt for Havertz in the No 10 role or could even hand Max Dowman his first Premier League start after the 16-year-old impressed in a more central role in the FA Cup loss at Southampton<\/a>. Whoever gets the nod, Arteta will still have plenty in reserve on the bench if things get tight at the Emirates. Ed Aarons<\/p>\n 3<\/p>\n Brentford and Everton eye Europe<\/p>\n Few would have expected that this match, after 31 games, would be seventh v eighth in the Premier League<\/a> and potentially very significant in the race for European qualification. In the week it was confirmed five English clubs will definitely be in the Champions League next season, these two sides are only three points off fifth-placed Chelsea with seven games remaining. Even getting to the Europa League would be an incredible achievement, but neither team have not endured much pressure this season and Saturday will be a test of nerves. Keith Andrews\u2019 side have stumbled, winning just one of their past six outings, admittedly during an injury crisis. But with more bodies now available after three weeks without a game, Brentford must arrest their slide against an Everton team with the fourth-best away form in the Premier League. Will Unwin<\/p>\n Only Erling Haaland has scored more Premier League goals than Brentford\u2019s Igor Thiago this season. Photograph: Tom Jenkins\/The Guardian<\/p>\n 4<\/p>\n It is time for Burnley to be bolder<\/p>\n When Burnley lost at Brighton<\/a> on 3 January, Scott Parker\u2019s patience with his underperforming side snapped. \u201cWe lacked belief and I didn\u2019t feel for one second that it was a team that ever believed they could come here and get a result,\u201d Parker said. There have been some respectable moments since but some equally negative efforts in defeat, with the Clarets 10 points from safety. Relegation seems inevitable and apathy has taken over Turf Moor. The fans surely want to see something different from the drab displays they have endured for a long time. If Parker could create a concoction of fight and talent and be bolder in his decisions, Burnley could give their fans something to cheer. They have nothing to lose but some supporters to regain before what is almost certain to be a difficult Championship season. WU<\/p>\n 5<\/p>\n Protests planned over Anfield prices<\/p>\n Disgruntlement is guaranteed at Anfield even before Arne Slot\u2019s side attempt to win a Premier League game for the first time since February. Liverpool\u2019s decision to increase most ticket prices by the rate of inflation for the next three seasons, capped at 5%, has sparked understandable anger around a club that posted record revenues of \u00a3703m and had the highest wage bill in the Premier League last season. The first in a series of protests \u2013 which will also include delaying season-ticket renewals and not paying for food and drink inside the stadium \u2013 is being held before the visit of Fulham as fans voice their opposition to the \u201cnormalisation\u201d of ticket price rises over the next three years. Those voices are liable to grow louder should Liverpool\u2019s season of diminishing returns continue. Andy Hunter<\/p>\n Arne Slot acknowledges Liverpool\u2019s travelling fans after their defeat at PSG. Supporters have not had much to applaud of late. Photograph: Justin Setterfield\/Getty Images<\/p>\n 6<\/p>\n Mitchell aims to impress Tuchel<\/p>\n Tyrick Mitchell may feel that his opportunity to earn a place in England\u2019s World Cup squad has passed him by after not being selected by Thomas Tuchel for last month\u2019s friendlies. The Crystal Palace left-back, who won two caps under Gareth Southgate in 2022, has been one of the most consistent performers for Oliver Glasner\u2019s side and will be hoping that he still has time to play himself into the picture. Sunday\u2019s meeting with Newcastle is an opportunity to impress against a direct rival in Lewis Hall, who came off the bench against Uruguay and Japan but struggled to make an impact. Playing as a wingback under Glasner has probably worked against Mitchell, given Tuchel\u2019s preference for a back four, but the 26-year-old has improved at both ends of the pitch, scoring in Thursday\u2019s Conference League success<\/a> against Fiorentina. EA<\/p>\n 7<\/p>\n Anderson\u2019s rest could benefit Forest<\/p>\n Every cloud, supposedly, has a silver lining. For V\u00edtor Pereira and Nottingham Forest<\/a>, Elliot Anderson\u2019s European suspension, which caused him to miss Thursday\u2019s trip to Porto, allowed him more rest. As a Premier League midfielder and England regular, often playing twice a week in Europe, time off is difficult to find for Anderson. . Sunday\u2019s opponents, Aston Villa, also had to travel abroad for their Europa League quarter-final in Bologna and will arrive at the City Ground jaded. Anderson is a standout performer for Forest and if he can bring greater physicality to his team, then it could be the difference. WU<\/p>\n 8<\/p>\n Le Bris and De Zerbi meet again<\/p>\n Back in the summer of 2024, R\u00e9gis Le Bris\u2019s Sunderland<\/a> \u2013 then a Championship side \u2013 drew a pre-season friendly with Roberto De Zerbi\u2019s Marseille, 2-2 at Bradford\u2019s Valley Parade. A few weeks earlier Le Bris had spent part of his introductory press conference talking about his admiration for the Italian and the inspiration he had taken from watching De Zerbi work at Shakhtar Donetsk and Brighton. On Sunday that knowledge could come in handy as Tottenham\u2019s new manager makes his bow at the Stadium of Light. The pragmatic yet principled Frenchman is much less of a tactical fundamentalist than De Zerbi. It will be intriguing to see whether the latter follows a similar path as he attempts to steer Tottenham clear of relegation. Who, two summers ago, could have predicted these two coaches would meet again in the Premier League with Spurs staring at Championship football and Sunderland dreaming of Europe? Louise Taylor<\/p>\n Roberto De Zerbi taking Spurs training this week, as he prepares for the first match of his five-year contract. Photograph: Chloe Knott\/Tottenham Hotspur FC\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n 9<\/p>\n Does Rosenior trust Lavia?<\/p>\n Rom\u00e9o Lavia could have a big role to play against Manchester City on Sunday. With Reece James injured and Enzo Fern\u00e1ndez on a Chelsea-branded naughty step<\/a>, there is a spot available next to Mois\u00e9s Caicedo in midfield. Liam Rosenior can choose between Andrey Santos, D\u00e1rio Essugo and Lavia. Essugo is the obvious outsider, given he has barely played this season. Rosenior had Santos at Strasbourg and has pushed the Brazilian since becoming Chelsea\u2019s head coach, but Lavia is a tempting option. The Belgian has had another stop-start season, with only 15 appearances in all competitions, and four months out after getting injured against Qarabag<\/a> in November. Lavia has struggled to be more than an idea at Chelsea and has rarely been fit<\/a> since joining for \u00a350m-plus in 2023. However, he has started the last two games and his ability to resist the press could be vital against City. These next few weeks are important for the 22-year-old, who needs to show he has a future at Chelsea. They are interested in signing a midfielder this summer and could agree a deal for Strasbourg\u2019s Valent\u00edn Barco. JS<\/p>\n Rom\u00e9o Lavia started recently in Chelsea\u2019s defeat at Everton and (left) in the 7-0 FA Cup win over Port Vale. Photograph: Darren Walsh\/Chelsea FC\/Getty Images<\/p>\n 10<\/p>\n Who will replace Maguire?<\/p>\n