Acheampong can step in for Colwill
Enzo Maresca’s request for Chelsea to replace the injured Levi Colwill with a new centre-back remains unanswered. The club’s position is straightforward: there are no suitable defenders on the market and, in any case, it is up to Maresca to find internal solutions. The Italian can call upon Josh Acheampong, who performed well against Crystal Palace on the opening weekend. The 19-year-old started with Colwill’s long-term absence complicated by Tosin Adarabioyo’s minor injury. Adarabioyo may return for Friday night at West Ham but there is a case to give Acheampong another chance next to Trevoh Chalobah. Acheampong, who counts Manchester City as one of his many suitors, stood up to Jean-Phillipe Mateta in the goalless draw with Palace. It is worth having another look at whether he can cope as the central centre-back when Chelsea morph into a back three in possession. Replacing Colwill’s line-breaking passes will not be easy but Maresca has options. Jacob Steinberg
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West Ham v Chelsea, Friday 8pm (all times BST)
Spurs must put Eze behind them
Tottenham ride into the Etihad Stadium in the wake of the Eberechi Eze farrago. Perhaps Thomas Frank can use the crimson embarrassment of Arsenal gazumping his club for the Crystal Palace forward’s signature to inspire his men. Last November, under Ange Postecoglou, Spurs trounced Pep Guardiola’s champions 4-0. A repeat may seem unlikely given Eze’s morale-sapping choice plus Manchester City’s 4-0 opening-day victory at Wolves. However, Frank and his players’ job is to be able to show fight and spirit and tenacity precisely when it is difficult. So at lunchtime on Saturday, we will find out how much of these qualities they possess. Jamie Jackson
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Manchester City v Tottenham, Saturday 12.30pm
Brentford look to Damsgaard for inspiration
Things started appallingly for Keith Andrews in his new life as Brentford head coach. In the first 45 minutes of his senior managerial career, the Bees showed no identity to make life easy for Nottingham Forest. Clearly, the lack of Yoane Wissa and the failure to replace Bryan Mbeumo will cause problems but a key absence in the East Midlands was Mikkel Damsgaard, missing after his wife gave birth. Andrews spoke of his importance to the team; unsurprising because he won of the players’ and fans’ player of the year award last season. The Dane’s return to the midfield will be imperative because Elliot Anderson and Morgan Gibbs-White dominated proceedings, unthreatened by anything akin to pressing. Alongside Damsgaard, Jordan Henderson may start after coming off the bench for his debut on Sunday. Experience will be helpful to Andrews, because he lacks it as a coach. Brentford were certainly better in the second half at Forest and the greater assurance of Damsgaard and Henderson can help their colleagues settle and forget that poor start. Will Unwin
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Brentford v Aston Villa, Saturday 3pm
Burnley need a goal threat
This feels like a game Burnley need to win already. The Clarets conceded almost a third of the entire tally of their goals-against column last season at Tottenham last weekend. Burnley were always going to be more porous at the back by the nature of stepping into the Premier League but on that basis, they need to find goals at the other end. Last season’s top scorer Josh Brownhill has departed and replacing his threat will be difficult. Lyle Foster started as the main striker at Spurs that was a struggle for Burnley, manageing just four shots on target. Armando Broja is waiting in the wings but needs to work on his physical condition before he can be considered for selection, understandable after his history of injury problems. A lot of pressure is placed on the Albania striker’s shoulders in the medium to long term but there is an immediate issue this weekend. If Scott Parker does not find goals, it could set the tone for what is to come. WU
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Burnley v Sunderland, Saturday 3pm
Cherries moving beyond summer exodus
Bournemouth’s season is never going to hinge on results at the best teams in the division but an opening-day defeat at Anfield offered plenty of positives. A typically buccaneering performance by Andoni Iraola’s side suggested a summer of change has not been as damaging as perhaps feared. Adrien Truffert, the left-back signed from Rennes, was particularly impressive and they have since augmented their squad with addition of Amine Adli, who was part of Xabi Alonso’s double-winning Bayer Leverkusen side in 2023-24. Ben Gannon Doak – who wishes to reflect both of his parents’ names – is another exciting arrival before hosting Wolves. Last week Dango Ouattara became the latest player to exit, for Brentford, in a deal worth up to £42.5m. A buzz does not breed guarantees but Bournemouth appear to have taken the summer exodus in their stride. Ben Fisher
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Bournemouth v Wolves, Saturday 3pm
Merino set for emergency role
Amid all the excitement about Eberechi Eze’s impending arrival at Arsenal, spare a thought for Mikel Merino. The Spain midfielder’s prospects in his favoured position already looked bleak after the signing of compatriot Martín Zubimendi meant he started the season on the bench after spending the second half of the previous campaign filling in as a makeshift No 9. The knee injury suffered by Kai Havertz means Merino could find himself back in that position over the next few weeks given that he is the only other player in Mikel Arteta’s squad capable of replacing Viktor Gyökeres through the middle. Eze is expected to compete with Gabriel Martinelli on the left-hand side of Arsenal’s attack but can also play in midfield. The new man is unlikely to be available to face Leedsbut Merino could have an important role to play. Ed Aarons
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Arsenal v Leeds, Saturday 5.30pm
New home, familiar Everton problems
It is the dawn of a new era for Everton as the £800m Hill Dickinson Stadium hosts its first competitive game and 52,769 fans adapt to plush modern surroundings. There will be pre-match events to mark the occasion, a special edition programme priced £10 and wide-eyed astonishment at the complete lack of obstructed views. It is a momentous day for the club and the city but Everton will be trying to tread a fine line between celebrating their new home while ensuring the focus remains on, and the fervour behind, David Moyes’s team. Monday’s performance at Leeds was chastening for those Evertonians who had approached the new campaign with unusual optimism. Perhaps not for the Everton manager who has spent all summer calling for more improvements to his squad. Everton were fortunate to lose their opening home game of last season 3-0 against Brighton, such was the second half dominance of Fabian Hürzeler’s side, and soon lost the positive momentum they had built up in the final weeks of the previous campaign. Everton require a fresh start all round. Andy Hunter
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Everton v Brighton, Sunday 2pm
Glasner short on personnel for Palace
We are only a week into the new season but Oliver Glasner already has concerns about a lack of squad depth at Crystal Palace. The expected departure of Eberechi Eze means Palace must act quickly to find a replacement, with Leicester’s Bilal El Khannouss and Tyler Dibling of Southampton among those considered. In the meantime, a knee injury to Daichi Kamada – who often played further forward under Glasner at Eintracht Frankfurt – could rule him out of the grudge match with Nottingham Forest on Sunday, meaning that Palace may turn to Community Shield penalty shootout hero Justin Devenny. The 21-year-old Northern Irishman signed from Airdrieonians in 2023, just four Premier League starts last season has very big boots to fill. EA
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Crystal Palace v Nottingham Forest, Sunday 2pm
Mount or Sesko is Amorim’s choice
Flashes of positivity for Manchester United during their defeat by Arsenal are all well and good but Ruben Amorim could do with improved results. United must also improve in both boxes. Will Amorim tweaks his attack on Sunday. Does Mason Mount continue as a false No 9 or is Benjamin Sesko ready to lead the line from the start? There was a feeling United were not quite as effective after Mount went off against Arsenal. He has endured a wretched few years but is a useful, influential team player when on form with the ability to create space for Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. Still, Sesko has not been signed to sit on the bench. The gargantuan Slovenian is a handful for anyone while a team who have struggled for goals under Amorim could do with a finisher in the starting XI. JS
Fulham v Manchester United, Sunday 4.30pm
Isak wrangle will stoke fires at St James’
Matches involving Newcastle and Liverpool often contain a bit of an edge but this rerun of last season’s Carabao Cup final will surely take things to a different level. Eddie Howe’s team won that showpiece yet one of their heroes of the hour, Alexander Isak, is at war with Newcastle as he endeavours to, currently rather forlornly, engineer a move to Anfield. With the Sweden striker training alone the only certainty is that Isak will not be at St James’ Park where geordie anger at Liverpool’s perceived tactics in unsettling Tyneside’s fallen idol should guarantee already febrile emotions run high. Howe is expected to field the former Everton winger, and boyhood Liverpool fan, Anthony Gordon out of position at centre-forward. Gordon, along with Isak and Fabian Schär, scored in last December’s fabulous 3-3 Premier League draw between these teams. Back then Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah scored twice in the course of a wonderful performance. The Egyptian’s duel with Howe’s likely left-back, Tino Livramento, could prove pivotal. Louise Taylor
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Newcastle v Liverpool, Monday 8pm
