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Olise will give Eagles - and City's rivals - a lift?
Michael Olise's expected return from injury at Crystal Palace against Manchester City could not be more timely for Oliver Glasner's struggling side. The France Under-21 international has been in sensational form on the rare occasions he has taken to the field this season. Olise has played just 755 minutes in just 11 games so far, but has scored six goals and set up three goals in that time. assists. It is believed that City are one of several clubs keeping an eye on his progress and will be wary of the threat he poses to their title ambitions, especially if he can quickly adapt to Glasner's favored 3-4-2- 1 formation. Like Palace, who are still not completely safe given their testing period which only involves playing against teams above them, Eberechi Eze has not been in his best form under the Austrian so far. But could Olise's return also help the England midfielder rediscover his touch? Ed Aarons
Bees that compete with Villa's ability to recover
On Wednesday night, as they were mauled by Phil Foden, Aston Villa did not look like a team that had spent much of the season in the top four. But this is unlikely to bother them. Under Unai, Emery Villa has a secret weapon: the ability to get off the floor again. They started the season by losing 5-1 at Newcastle and then beating Everton 4-0, and the pattern has hardly changed. When they lose, unless it's against Manchester United, they tend to lose badly - 3-0 at Anfield, 3-1 at home to Newcastle, 4-0 at home to Spurs - but all that abuse has been followed by a resounding victory. And against Brentford, who they beat 2-1 in December, Villa will have John McGinn back from the three-match ban that accompanied his red card in the Tottenham debacle. Brentford's most realistic hope is to continue doing what they have been doing lately: moving towards survival, one draw at a time. It has been enough to keep Everton and Luton from winning, although all three, plus Forest, are in the twilight zone where a few wins for one team can make all the difference. Tim de Lisle
The story continues
Dyche is in desperate need of a win over his former club
Everton have forgotten how to win, to reuse the phrase Sean Dyche once used with Frank Lampard's team when he was manager of Burnley. With the threat of a second points deduction looming and four more home games against other sides in the bottom six, they must remember how to fare against his former club. Burnley will be the best team at Goodison Park after recording their best run of the season with four games unbeaten. Dyche, on the other hand, has now completed Everton's longest winning streak in Premier League history after Tuesday's draw against Newcastle extended their dull run to thirteen games. Even Mike Walker wasn't that bad. Talk of the manager's future is understandable but futile - Everton do not have the board, a committed owner, nor the money to sack Dyche and recruit a replacement - but he undoubtedly needs a win to counter mounting criticism and relegation concerns to dispel. Andy Hunter
Barnes must continue to revive the English dream
Harvey Barnes has disappeared from the English picture. He made his international debut in 2020 and enjoyed the same reputation as Anthony Gordon now: an energetic, enterprising young winger with every opportunity to become a regular in Gareth Southgate's side. Still, injuries have kept Barnes from making progress. He has struggled to stay fit since joining Newcastle from Leicester and, unlike Gordon, has no chance of going to the 2024 Euros. Yet the talent remains. Barnes scored twice after coming off the bench against West Ham last weekend and picked up an assist against Everton. Now he must persevere. Newcastle, who visit Fulham, would be much more dangerous with the speed of Barnes on the left and Gordon on the right. Jacob Steinberg
Cherries could leave another bitter taste for Luton
Which team has been the best team in the league over the last three games? Not Arsenal (they are second). Not Liverpool (third) or Manchester City (fourth). It's Bournemouth, of course. Yes, they have had a series of encounters with the bottom seven, but you can only beat the team in front of you and Bournemouth have done that against four of their last five opponents: Burnley, Luton, Everton and Palace. Now they face Luton again. The reverse match was one of the seven-goal sagas that have defined this season. Luton scored three goals in the first half but conceded four in the second. This week their manager Rob Edwards said: "I want to stay in the Premier League forever." As endearing as that was, if he wants to be around next season, his team needs to get something out of this game. Next weekend they go to the Etihad. TdL
Wolves v West Ham is a quiet six-pointer
In the empty tables that appear before the season starts, West Ham and Wolves are joined at the hip, scorned in alphabetical order. Eight months later, they are both happily sitting in the middle of the table. They are separated by just three points and that gap will disappear if Wolves win their match in hand (home match against Bournemouth on April 24). So this struggle is, in its low-key way, a six-pointer. West Ham won the reverse fixture 3-0 in mid-December, with two goals from Mohammed Kudus and one from Jarrod Bowen. But Wolves have sharpened their teeth since then, while the Hammers in Europe have their hands too full to keep banging on the door of the top six. Saturday's visitors have just two league wins this year and David Moyes will want a third given Wolves' many injuries. But Gary O'Neil is very good at setting up his team. Can Kudus and Bowen show their class again? TdL
Will Seagulls bounce back against ruthless Arsenal?
Some managers are admired for their ability to deliver results; others still manage to be admired. Roberto De Zerbi's Brighton were seventh, above Manchester United, on January 3, but have been in a slump since then. They have won just three of their past 11 league games and scored just three times in seven games in all competitions, including a defeat to Roma. Solly March, out since October with a knee injury, was sorely missed. However, De Zerbi continues to be mentioned in reports about upcoming vacancies at Liverpool and Bayern Munich. No one would blame him for losing again to Arsenal, who have been ruthless in the league this year, with 28 points out of a possible 30. It's more that Brighton need to find the fluidity that got them those admiring looks in the first place delivered. TdL
Ten Hag needs FA Cup spirit against Liverpool
In a troubled season, Erik ten Hag's team talk will surely be easy ahead of this visit of their fierce East Lancs rivals: remind his players of the defiant way they twice came from behind to beat Jurgen Klopp's side beat and enjoy a 4-3 win in the 120th minute of an FA Cup thriller. That was just three weeks and three games ago, but United are incredibly erratic and Liverpool come into the start on the back of another win determined to give their genius manager the best send-off with a second Premier League title before walking away to a new . future. Jamie Jackson
Timing adjustment gives Chelsea fans the Blues
Chelsea fans are not happy that their match at Bramall Lane starts at 5.30pm and who can blame them? Public transport - even to London - is never at its best on Sundays and certainly not in the evening, but the situation could be made worse by the rail strikes planned this weekend. Many traveling fans will end up driving, but given the school Easter holidays, highways are also likely to be congested. In fairness to the broadcasters, who seem to be imposing increasingly onerous race schedules on those actually attending, the race was originally scheduled for Sunday at 1.30pm but had to be changed as it clashed with the Sheffield Half Marathon. Problems with police, stewards, parking and local taxis dictated the need for a change... but did it really need to be moved to 5.30pm? Louise Taylor
Johnson's Forest reunion adds extra spice to Spurs
A game brought forward 24 hours due to rail and underground strikes is one in which Nottingham Forest could boost their survival hopes. Certainly, Nuno Espírito Santo's men should arrive in north London in a confident mood after a thrilling win over Fulham in midweek. Forest led 3-0 before half-time thanks to a display of intensity and quality and appear generally galvanized by the four-point deduction they received last month for breaching the Profitability and Sustainability (PSR) rules. That makes them potentially dangerous opponents for any team they face between now and the end of the season, and Spurs could be particularly ripe for the taking given the openness with which they defend, coupled with how often they go behind at home touch. . Their opponents on Sunday must believe they can take the lead and, unlike the likes of Palace and Luton, build on it. However, that won't be easy against a team that scores a lot of goals, with the presence of Brennan Johnson in the home order adding a tantalizing narrative. Sachin Nakrani
