Five things to focus on as the top flight returns this weekend

A run of one win in six Premier League matches makes the concept of favourable opponents for Manchester United a dubious one right now.

Brentford arrive at Old Trafford on Saturday without an away point this season, and a win for United manager Erik ten Hag would carry the added satisfaction of thwarting a counterpart many believe is a candidate to replace him.

Elsewhere, Gary O’Neil and Russell Martin are also under pressure, Jamie Vardy might have more confidence than usual about doing what he does best and Chelsea’s progress under Enzo Maresca will be tested by Liverpool. Here’s our guide to some of the storylines to follow as the Premier League returns.

The Premier League is back this week 😍 pic.twitter.com/sGJrGFps4E

— Premier League (@premierleague) October 14, 2024

Frank to haunt Ten Hag?

Ten Hag has survived a meeting of Manchester United’s executive committee, while the prime pretender to his role, Thomas Tuchel, has taken the England job – but the Dutchman remains firmly in beleaguered territory, with anything other than victory over a dangerous Brentford side likely to further imperil his future.

As he approaches his 300th game as Bees boss, Thomas Frank – the architect of a 4-0 defeat for United in their first away game under Ten Hag – continues to be linked with a move to Old Trafford. It would be negligent if Ineos had not considered the Dane as a potential future manager, and Brentford’s first away league points of the campaign would surely strengthen his case and push United closer to opening a vacancy.

City could compound O’Neil misery

Despite being bottom of the table with one point from 21, Wolves were only truly calamitous for the first time in their 5-3 defeat at Brentford last time out, when sections of the visiting fans audibly turned on manager O’Neil, who called the game his worst as a coach and “unbelievably disappointing”.

In his first campaign in charge last season, O’Neil inspired his side to a run of one defeat in seven after losing four of their first five. Their first home win was against Manchester City, and while he might not need to beat the reigning champions again to save his job just yet, a heavy defeat could make his position all the more precarious.

Man City and Arsenal remain the only two unbeaten sides in 2024/25 🤝

Will both Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta’s sides remain unbeaten in their next three fixtures? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/8qi5TStamM

— Premier League (@premierleague) October 13, 2024

Vardy targets Saints

Behind Ten Hag and O’Neil, Martin is third-favourite to be the next manager to depart – and stopping Jamie Vardy from adding to his eight career goals and four assists against Southampton looks key to the Saints manager’s prospects of a first Premier League win on Saturday.

Six of those goals have come at St Mary’s, including a hat-trick in Leicester’s 9-0 win in October 2019 and one after 21 seconds of their 4-1 victory in the Championship last season. Leicester beating Bournemouth for a first win last time out might seem ominous enough for Martin without Vardy’s conversion rate of two goals from five shots this season – no Premier League player with at least five attempts has been more clinical.

Chelsea’s toughest test yet

Chelsea’s impressive form under Enzo Maresca, which includes the second-most goals (behind Manchester City) and expected goals (behind Tottenham), only began after their sole encounter so far with a title contender, when an under-strength Manchester City side barely seemed to strain themselves in a 2-0 opening win at Stamford Bridge.

Having come from behind to draw 1-1 at home to Nottingham Forest, a win at Anfield would fuel belief that Maresca can make Chelsea at least equal the sum of their parts and move them a point behind current leaders Liverpool. Their task could be formidable: Arne Slot’s team have conceded the fewest goals, kept the most clean sheets and registered the lowest expected goals against figure of any top-flight side.

A reminder of how the Premier League table stands as we head towards Matchweek 8 📊 pic.twitter.com/wSHcJymYk7

— Premier League (@premierleague) October 14, 2024

Arsenal hold breath on Havertz

Few Arsenal fans would have been excessively worried about an injury to Kai Havertz last September, when he ended a wait of more than 500 minutes for his first Gunners goal with a penalty in a 4-0 win at Bournemouth.

Havertz, who withdrew from Germany’s squad with a knee problem a day after scoring in Arsenal’s 3-1 comeback win at home to Southampton, now looks vital in an attacking trident alongside Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli and is on a run of 13 goals and seven assists in 21 Premier League appearances. Bournemouth’s defensive record has been much improved since they conceded the most goals of any team outside of the bottom three last season, and their hopes of that continuing could hinge on Havertz’s fitness.