Premier League

Spurs team news: Porro returns, Solanke starts  Premier League

Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur | 2025/2026 | Premier League | Overview  Premier League

Football writer Alex Keble analyses where this weekend's fixtures could be won and lost, including:

- Will set-pieces help Arsenal breathe easier?

- Will Pep's narrow front three struggle against Leeds' midfield?

- Can Nuno get another Anfield result to alter the relegation battle?

- What will happen to Spurs if Tudor loses his second match?

- Can Howe turn Newcastle's form around before a crucial run of tough games?

- Do Burnley need to beat Brentford to keep safety hopes alive?

- Will Pereira's new tactics play into Brighton's hands?

- Can Carrick's magic touch help Man Utd best their bogey team?

- How does Le Bris raise Sunderland's energy levels for the run-in?

Will set-pieces help Arsenal breathe easier?

An emphatic victory over Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, defined by the fluency of their attacking football, was exactly what Arsenal needed to reset following the 2-2 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers. Now, after enjoying a rare midweek break, Mikel Arteta’s side will be hoping they can put some difficult results behind them.

But it’s not that straightforward. Arsenal have won just four of their nine Premier League matches in 2026, and what they enjoyed about facing Spurs – the space given to them in the second half – might not feature when Chelsea visit on Sunday.

Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior is a pragmatist - and he will know that Brentford and Wolves provided the template to follow. The tension could again return at Emirates Stadium.

However, there is a statistical mismatch that should allow Arsenal supporters to exhale.

Chelsea, whose defence will be weakened without the suspended Wesley Fofana, have a higher Expected Goals Conceded (xGC) from set-pieces (14.05) than any other Premier League team this season, while Arsenal of course top the charts for Expected Goals (xG) with 14.08 and goals scored (17) from dead-ball situations.

Notably, Arsenal have scored just two set-piece goals across the five Premier League games they have failed to win in 2026. If they can get back in their groove in this regard, Arsenal can start putting strings of wins together again.

Will Pep's narrow front three struggle against Leeds' midfield?

Should Arsenal’s set-piece prowess shine through at the Emirates, we might discover that, contrary to expectations, Manchester City have the tougher assignment this weekend. They travel to Elland Road to play a powerful and resilient Leeds United side already set up to block Man City’s new favourite route to goal.

Over the last four Premier League matches, Pep Guardiola has deployed an ultra-narrow front three who alternate dropping deep to get on the ball, a system shift that has seen Man City attack through the centre more than ever before, as the change in their average positions since Matchweek 25 shows.

Click right to compare MW1-24 with MW25-27

This could make Man City too congested for a game like this one. Leeds are very good at funnelling everything out wide, losing just two of their last 16 matches in all competitions thanks to a 3-5-2 formation that packs three centre-backs and three central midfielders into that middle column of the pitch.

Guardiola has told reporters his new formation is solely out of necessity; a reaction to having so few fit wingers in his squad. That means the system is likely to stay - no matter how well-equipped Leeds are to handle it.

Can Nuno get another Anfield result to alter the relegation battle?

West Ham United have won 11 points from their last six Premier League games and yet this doesn’t even capture the true extent of their revival.

They really should have won eight more points from their last six, given they conceded a stoppage-time equaliser against Manchester United, blew a 2-0 lead at Chelsea, and failed to score in a 0-0 draw with AFC Bournemouth despite amassing an xG of 2.82.

It goes without saying West Ham cannot keep winning fewer points than their performances deserve. It is simply too late in the season for that.

A big win at Anfield is exactly what the Hammers need to change their luck and restore the self-belief required to turn good displays into points.

Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo will be quietly confident. His tactical approach to games like these – sit deep, absorb pressure, hit the opposition high line on the counter-attack – tends to work against Liverpool.

Last season, Nuno's Nottingham Forest side beat Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield in September and then held the eventual champions 1-1 at the City Ground in January, doing so with 31 per cent and 29 per cent possession respectively.

If West Ham put in a classic Nuno performance, they can also win at Anfield, re-energising and refocusing them for the run-in.

What will happen to Spurs if Tudor loses his second match?

Igor Tudor’s arrival was meant to signal a turn towards discipline and a laser-focus on the task of safety. The man renowned for hitting the ground running, and doing so by banging heads together, said before his first game in charge that he was “100 per cent” confident Spurs would avoid the drop.

Has the 4-1 defeat to Arsenal changed things? Spurs were carved open in a second half defined by a fatigue likely brought on by Tudor’s aggressive man-to-man pressing, while tactical holes were a serious issue throughout the game as Spurs adapted to playing a hybrid 3-4-3/3-5-2 formation.

The hope for Spurs fans is that issues around fitness or tactical confusion are ironed out with a few more training sessions under their belts. If not, the unthinkable really could happen.

If Tudor was to lose his second game in charge, panic would set in among the fan base. Of that there is absolutely no doubt. Spurs are just four points above West Ham and two above Forest, two clubs who have shown significant improvements recently.

Fulham beat Spurs 2-1 in north London earlier in the season. They have beaten Spurs twice in a row at Craven Cottage by an aggregate score of 5-0. Spurs are the only side in the Premier League without a win in 2026 and on Sunday are hoping to avoid going 10 matches without victory for the first time since 1994.

A Fulham win doesn’t bear thinking about, and yet recent history suggests it is very much on the cards.

Can Howe turn Newcastle’s form around before a crucial run of tough games?

This might not be the headline fixture of the weekend but Newcastle arguably haven’t had a more important game all season.

Newcastle are averaging just 1.33 points per game in the Premier League, their lowest ratio in a season under head coach Eddie Howe. They are still only four points off seventh, however, meaning the campaign can be saved – but the rescue attempt needs to start now.

Howe’s side have lost four of their last five Premier League matches, a run that obviously has to stop, but more importantly Newcastle face a very difficult run of fixtures after this weekend’s game.

They play Man Utd (H) and Chelsea (A) next in the Premier League before the Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland at St James' Park, and sandwiched between those games is an FA Cup tie against Man City and both legs of their UEFA Champions League round-of-16 ties.

It’s an extremely difficult set of fixtures, especially for a side that have struggled to juggle multiple competitions this season; Newcastle are winless in their last seven weekend matches following a midweek cup tie.

In other words, they simply have to beat Everton in order to start this crucial run in some kind of form.

But it won’t come easy. Everton have won the second-most away points in the Premier League since David Moyes’ first away game back in charge in January last year (38).

Do Burnley need to beat Brentford to keep safety hopes alive?

After beating Crystal Palace and drawing at Chelsea, Burnley have earned four points from their last two Premier League games, just one fewer than they had in their previous 16.

Scott Parker’s side are still eight points shy of the safety offered by 17th place. There is no doubt about it: if they are to stay up, they have to ride the momentum of those last two matches and put a serious winning streak together. This is their very last chance.

Brentford have won four of their last five Premier League away games, making them formidable opponents. However, should Burnley get a positive result at Turf Moor, they would feel the confidence flowing before a trip to Everton, who haven’t won at home since early December.

Win both games and safety is on the cards. But fall short on Saturday and Burnley fans may give up hope.

Will Pereira’s new tactics play into Brighton’s hands?

Although a late Alexis Mac Allister goal won Liverpool the points, Forest played very well in their first game under head coach Vitor Pereira, and it should excite the club's supporters that the players so quickly took to his ideas.

Comparing their season averages to the 1-0 defeat against Liverpool, we can see just how dramatically Forest changed focus, moving towards an aggressive pressing game and counter-attacks funnelled quickly down both flanks.

Forest's attacking style per 90, MW1-26 v Liverpool

Matchweeks 1-26 v Liverpool High turnovers 3.3 8.0 Switches of play 7.1 12.0 Passes per defensive action 14.3 11.9

However, Brighton are simply not the kind of opponent to press onto. In fact, Pereira’s new system could prove to be a kamikaze mission.

Only two of Brighton’s eight Premier League wins this season came in matches when Fabian Hurzeler’s side have held more than 50 per cent possession, capturing the central issue with Brighton’s football: if they face low blocks they struggle, but if teams come onto them they revel in an end-to-end game.

Can Carrick's magic touch help Man Utd beat their bogey team?

Another late winner on Monday night, and another tough game navigated, has made Michael Carrick look like a manager with a magic touch. Man Utd have won five and drawn one of Carrick’s six games in charge, a phenomenal record that has seen them climb to within three points of third place.

But a true test of Carrick’s Midas touch comes on Sunday.

Palace have won four of their last six away league meetings with Man Utd, a pretty remarkable record that highlights just how often in recent years the hosts have struggled to play against well-drilled counter-attacking sides at Old Trafford.

What’s more, Palace have won two of their last three Premier League games and could feel revived by their UEFA Conference League exploits on Thursday evening.

How does Le Bris raise Sunderland’s energy levels for the run-in?

There is a serious danger that Sunderland’s excellent season is going to end in a whimper.

Perhaps it’s fatigue, or perhaps opponents have begun to work them out, but either way Sunderland are on the slide.

They have lost their last three Premier League games, as many as in their previous 12, and if we break their campaign into two halves it looks even starker.

Sunderland's record, first 13 matches v last 13 matches

Record Points per game First 13 matches W7 D4 L2 1.9 Last 14 matches W3 D5 L6 1.0

Regis Le Bris needs to find a way to raise the team’s spirits and raise their energy levels.

Spurs to take on Atletico Madrid in Champions League last 16

Football writer Alex Keble analyses where this weekend's fixtures could be won and lost, including:

- Will set-pieces help Arsenal breathe easier?

- Will Pep's narrow front three struggle against Leeds' midfield?

- Can Nuno get another Anfield result to alter the relegation battle?

- What will happen to Spurs if Tudor loses his second match?

- Can Abraham fire Villa through their low-block problem?

- Can Howe turn Newcastle's form around before a crucial run of tough games?

- Do Burnley need to beat Brentford to keep safety hopes alive?

- Will Pereira's new tactics play into Brighton's hands?

- Can Carrick's magic touch help Man Utd best their bogey team?

- How does Le Bris raise Sunderland's energy levels for the run-in?

Will set-pieces help Arsenal breathe easier?

An emphatic victory over Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, defined by the fluency of their attacking football, was exactly what Arsenal needed to reset following the 2-2 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers. Now, after enjoying a rare midweek break, Mikel Arteta’s side will be hoping they can put some difficult results behind them.

But it’s not that straightforward. Arsenal have won just four of their nine Premier League matches in 2026, and what they enjoyed about facing Spurs – the space given to them in the second half – might not feature when Chelsea visit on Sunday.

Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior is a pragmatist - and he will know that Brentford and Wolves provided the template to follow. The tension could again return at Emirates Stadium.

However, there is a statistical mismatch that should allow Arsenal supporters to exhale.

Chelsea, whose defence will be weakened without the suspended Wesley Fofana, have a higher Expected Goals Conceded (xGC) from set-pieces (14.05) than any other Premier League team this season, while Arsenal of course top the charts for xG (14.08) and goals scored (17) from dead-ball situations.

Notably, Arsenal have scored just two set-piece goals across the five Premier League games they have failed to win in 2026. If they can get back in their groove in this regard, Arsenal can start putting strings of wins together again.

Will Pep's narrow front three struggle against Leeds' midfield?

Should Arsenal’s set-piece prowess shine through at the Emirates, we might discover that, contrary to expectations, Manchester City have the tougher assignment this weekend. They travel to Elland Road to play a powerful and resilient Leeds United side already set up to block Man City’s new favourite route to goal.

Over the last four Premier League matches, Pep Guardiola has deployed an ultra-narrow front three who alternate dropping deep to get on the ball, a system shift that has seen Man City attack through the centre more than ever before, as the change in their average positions since Matchweek 25 shows.

Click right to compare MW1-24 with MW25-27

This could make Man City too congested for a game like this one. Leeds are very good at funnelling everything out wide, losing just two of their last 16 matches in all competitions thanks to a 3-5-2 formation that packs three centre-backs and three central midfielders into that middle column of the pitch.

Guardiola has told reporters his new formation is solely out of necessity; a reaction to having so few fit wingers in his squad. That means the system is likely to stay - no matter how well-equipped Leeds are to handle it.

Can Nuno get another Anfield result to alter the relegation battle?

West Ham United have won 11 points from their last six Premier League games and yet this doesn’t even capture the true extent of their revival.

They really should have won eight more points from their last six, given they conceded a stoppage-time equaliser against Manchester United, blew a 2-0 lead at Chelsea, and failed to score in a 0-0 draw with AFC Bournemouth despite amassing an xG of 2.82.

It goes without saying West Ham cannot keep winning fewer points than their performances deserve. It is simply too late in the season for that.

A big win at Anfield is exactly what the Hammers need to change their luck and restore the self-belief required to turn good displays into points.

Nuno Espirito Santo will be quietly confident. His tactical approach to games like these – sit deep, absorb pressure, hit the opposition high line on the counter-attack – tends to work against Liverpool.

Last season, his Nottingham Forest side beat Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield in September and then held the eventual champions 1-1 at the City Ground in January, doing so with 31 per cent and 29 per cent possession respectively.

If West Ham put in a classic Nuno performance, they can also win at Anfield, re-energising and refocusing them for the run-in.

What will happen to Spurs if Tudor loses his second match?

Igor Tudor’s arrival was meant to signal a turn towards discipline and a laser-focus on the task of safety. The man renowned for hitting the ground running, and doing so by banging heads together, said before his first game in charge that he was “100 per cent” confident Spurs would avoid the drop.

Has the 4-1 defeat to Arsenal changed things? Spurs were carved open in a second half defined by a fatigue likely brought on by Tudor’s aggressive man-to-man pressing, while tactical holes were a serious issue throughout the game as Spurs adapted to playing a hybrid 3-4-3/3-5-2 formation.

The hope for Spurs fans is that issues around fitness or tactical confusion are ironed out with a few more training sessions under their belts. If not, the unthinkable really could happen.

If Tudor was to lose his second game in charge, panic would set in among the fan base. Of that there is absolutely no doubt. Spurs are just four points above West Ham and two above Forest, two clubs who have shown significant improvements recently.

Fulham beat Spurs 2-1 in north London earlier in the season. They have beaten Spurs twice in a row at Craven Cottage by an aggregate score of 5-0. Spurs are the only side in the Premier League without a win in 2026 and on Sunday are hoping to avoid going 10 matches without victory for the first time since 1994.

A Fulham win doesn’t bear thinking about, and yet recent history suggests it is very much on the cards.

Can Abraham fire Villa through their low-block problem?

The problems facing Aston Villa are purely tactical – and easy to diagnose.

They consistently struggle when forced to hold possession and break down a low block; when opponents refuse to fall into the trap of Villa’s press-baiting, hence Villa beating open teams like Brighton & Hove Albion and Newcastle United in 2026 but falling flat against Brentford, Everton and Leeds.

Villa held 66.8 per cent possession in their 1-1 draw with Leeds last weekend, leaving them with a record of just five wins from their last 17 games when holding 65 per cent or more possession. In 2025/26, they have won only one of five such matches.

That makes Wolves surprisingly difficult opponents for Villa, although they might have a solution in Tammy Abraham.

Villa looked a lot better against Leeds after Abraham came on, and indeed there is an argument for Villa starting with two strikers at Molineux in the hope of playing a more direct game that stops the ball getting stuck at the back.

Whatever the system, Abraham, who scored the equaliser against Leeds, should play a key role. Abraham has scored more goals against Wolves (six) than any other opponent in English league football.

Can Howe turn Newcastle’s form around before a crucial run of tough games?

This might not be the headline fixture of the weekend but Newcastle arguably haven’t had a more important game all season.

Newcastle are averaging just 1.33 points per game in the Premier League, their lowest ratio in a season under head coach Eddie Howe. They are still only four points off seventh, however, meaning the campaign can be saved – but the rescue attempt needs to start now.

Howe’s side have lost four of their last five Premier League matches, a run that obviously has to stop, but more importantly Newcastle face a very difficult run of fixtures after this weekend’s game.

They play Man Utd (H) and Chelsea (A) next in the Premier League before the Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland at St James' Park, and sandwiched between those games is an FA Cup tie against Man City and both legs of their UEFA Champions League round-of-16 ties.

It’s an extremely difficult set of games, especially for a side that have struggled to juggle multiple competitions this season; Newcastle are winless in their last seven weekend matches following a midweek cup tie.

In other words, they simply have to beat Everton in order to start this crucial run in some kind of form.

But it won’t come easy. Everton have won the second-most away points in the Premier League since David Moyes’ first away game back in charge in January last year (38).

Do Burnley need to beat Brentford to keep safety hopes alive?

After beating Crystal Palace and drawing at Chelsea, Burnley have earned four points from their last two Premier League games, just one fewer than they had in their previous 16.

Scott Parker’s side are still eight points shy of the safety offered by 17th place. There is no doubt about it: if they are to stay up, they have to ride the momentum of those last two matches and put a serious winning streak together. This is their very last chance.

Brentford have won four of their last five Premier League away games, making them formidable opponents. However, should Burnley get a positive result at Turf Moor, they would feel the confidence flowing before a trip to Everton, who haven’t won a home game since early December.

Win both games and safety is on the cards. But fall short on Saturday and Burnley fans may give up hope.

Will Pereira’s new tactics play into Brighton’s hands?

Although a late Alexis Mac Allister goal won Liverpool the points, Forest played very well in their first game under head coach Vitor Pereira, and it should excite the club's supporters that the players so quickly took to his ideas.

Comparing their season averages to the 1-0 defeat against Liverpool, we can see just how dramatically Forest changed focus, moving towards an aggressive pressing game and counter-attacks funnelled quickly down both flanks.

Forest's attacking style per 90, MW1-26 v Liverpool

Matchweeks 1-26 v Liverpool High turnovers 3.3 8.0 Switches of play 7.1 12.0 Passes per defensive action 14.3 11.9

However, Brighton are simply not the kind of opponent to press onto. In fact, Pereira’s new system could prove to be a kamikaze mission.

Only two of Brighton’s eight Premier League wins this season came in matches when Fabian Hurzeler’s side have held more than 50 per cent possession, capturing the central issue with Brighton’s football: if they face low blocks they struggle, but if teams come onto them they revel in an end-to-end game.

Can Carrick's magic touch help Man Utd beat their bogey team?

Another late winner on Monday night, and another tough game navigated, has made Michael Carrick look like a manager with a magic touch. Man Utd have won five and drawn one of Carrick’s six games in charge, a phenomenal record that has seen them climb to within three points of third place.

But a true test of Carrick’s Midas touch comes on Sunday.

Palace have won four of their last six away league meetings with Man Utd, a pretty remarkable record that highlights just how often in recent years the hosts have struggled to play against well-drilled counter-attacking sides at Old Trafford.

What’s more, Palace have won two of their last three Premier League games and could feel revived by their UEFA Conference League exploits on Thursday evening.

How does Le Bris raise Sunderland’s energy levels for the run-in?

There is a serious danger that Sunderland’s excellent season is going to end in a whimper.

Perhaps it’s fatigue, or perhaps opponents have begun to work them out, but either way Sunderland are on the slide.

They have lost their last three Premier League games, as many as in their previous 12, and if we break their campaign into two halves it looks even starker.

Sunderland's record, first 13 matches v last 13 matches

Record Points per game First 13 matches W7 D4 L2 1.9 Last 14 matches W3 D5 L6 1.0

Regis Le Bris needs to find a way to raise the team’s spirits and raise their energy levels.

Football writer Alex Keble analyses where this weekend's fixtures could be won and lost, including:

- Will set-pieces help Arsenal breathe easier?

- Will Pep's narrow front three struggle against Leeds' midfield?

- Can Nuno get another Anfield result to alter the relegation battle?

- What will happen to Spurs if Tudor loses his second match?

- Can Abraham fire Villa through their low-block problem?

- Can Howe turn Newcastle's form around before a crucial run of tough games?

- Do Burnley need to beat Brentford to keep safety hopes alive?

- Will Pereira's new tactics play into Brighton's hands?

- Can Carrick's magic touch help Man Utd best their bogey team?

- How does Le Bris raise Sunderland's energy levels for the run-in?

Will set-pieces help Arsenal breathe easier?

An emphatic victory over Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, defined by the fluency of their attacking football, was exactly what Arsenal needed to reset following the 2-2 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers. Now, after enjoying a rare midweek break, Mikel Arteta’s side will be hoping they can put some difficult results behind them.

But it’s not that straightforward. Arsenal have won just four of their nine Premier League matches in 2026, and what they enjoyed about facing Spurs – the space given to them in the second half – might not feature when Chelsea visit on Sunday.

Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior is a pragmatist - and he will know that Brentford and Wolves provided the template to follow. The tension could again return at Emirates Stadium.

However, there is a statistical mismatch that should allow Arsenal supporters to exhale.

Chelsea, whose defence will be weakened without the suspended Wesley Fofana, have a higher Expected Goals Conceded (xGC) from set-pieces (14.05) than any other Premier League team this season, while Arsenal of course top the charts for xG (14.08) and goals scored (17) from dead-ball situations.

Notably, Arsenal have scored just two set-piece goals across the five Premier League games they have failed to win in 2026. If they can get back in their groove in this regard, Arsenal can start putting strings of wins together again.

Will Pep's narrow front three struggle against Leeds' midfield?

Should Arsenal’s set-piece prowess shine through at the Emirates, we might discover that, contrary to expectations, Manchester City have the tougher assignment this weekend. They travel to Elland Road to play a powerful and resilient Leeds United side already set up to block Man City’s new favourite route to goal.

Over the last four Premier League matches, Pep Guardiola has deployed an ultra-narrow front three who alternate dropping deep to get on the ball, a system shift that has seen Man City attack through the centre more than ever before, as the change in their average positions since Matchweek 25 shows.

Click right to compare MW1-24 with MW25-27

This could make Man City too congested for a game like this one. Leeds are very good at funnelling everything out wide, losing just two of their last 16 matches in all competitions thanks to a 3-5-2 formation that packs three centre-backs and three central midfielders into that middle column of the pitch.

Guardiola has told reporters his new formation is solely out of necessity; a reaction to having so few fit wingers in his squad. That means the system is likely to stay - no matter how well-equipped Leeds are to handle it.

Can Nuno get another Anfield result to alter the relegation battle?

West Ham United have won 11 points from their last six Premier League games and yet this doesn’t even capture the true extent of their revival.

They really should have won eight more points from their last six, given they conceded a stoppage-time equaliser against Manchester United, blew a 2-0 lead at Chelsea, and failed to score in a 0-0 draw with AFC Bournemouth despite amassing an xG of 2.82.

It goes without saying West Ham cannot keep winning fewer points than their performances deserve. It is simply too late in the season for that.

A big win at Anfield is exactly what the Hammers need to change their luck and restore the self-belief required to turn good displays into points.

Nuno Espirito Santo will be quietly confident. His tactical approach to games like these – sit deep, absorb pressure, hit the opposition high line on the counter-attack – tends to work against Liverpool.

Last season, his Nottingham Forest side beat Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield in September and then held the eventual champions 1-1 at the City Ground in January, doing so with 31 per cent and 29 per cent possession respectively.

If West Ham put in a classic Nuno performance, they can also win at Anfield, re-energising and refocusing them for the run-in.

What will happen to Spurs if Tudor loses his second match?

Igor Tudor’s arrival was meant to signal a turn towards discipline and a laser-focus on the task of safety. The man renowned for hitting the ground running, and doing so by banging heads together, said before his first game in charge that he was “100 per cent” confident Spurs would avoid the drop.

Has the 4-1 defeat to Arsenal changed things? Spurs were carved open in a second half defined by a fatigue likely brought on by Tudor’s aggressive man-to-man pressing, while tactical holes were a serious issue throughout the game as Spurs adapted to playing a hybrid 3-4-3/3-5-2 formation.

The hope for Spurs fans is that issues around fitness or tactical confusion are ironed out with a few more training sessions under their belts. If not, the unthinkable really could happen.

If Tudor was to lose his second game in charge, panic would set in among the fan base. Of that there is absolutely no doubt. Spurs are just four points above West Ham and two above Forest, two clubs who have shown significant improvements recently.

Fulham beat Spurs 2-1 in north London earlier in the season. They have beaten Spurs twice in a row at Craven Cottage by an aggregate score of 5-0. Spurs are the only side in the Premier League without a win in 2026 and on Sunday are hoping to avoid going 10 matches without victory for the first time since 1994.

A Fulham win doesn’t bear thinking about, and yet recent history suggests it is very much on the cards.

Can Abraham fire Villa through their low-block problem?

The problems facing Aston Villa are purely tactical – and easy to diagnose.

They consistently struggle when forced to hold possession and break down a low block; when opponents refuse to fall into the trap of Villa’s press-baiting, hence Villa beating open teams like Brighton & Hove Albion and Newcastle United in 2026 but falling flat against Brentford, Everton and Leeds.

Villa held 66.8 per cent possession in their 1-1 draw with Leeds last weekend, leaving them with a record of just five wins from their last 17 games when holding 65 per cent or more possession. In 2025/26, they have won only one of five such matches.

That makes Wolves surprisingly difficult opponents for Villa, although they might have a solution in Tammy Abraham.

Villa looked a lot better against Leeds after Abraham came on, and indeed there is an argument for Villa starting with two strikers at Molineux in the hope of playing a more direct game that stops the ball getting stuck at the back.

Whatever the system, Abraham, who scored the equaliser against Leeds, should play a key role. Abraham has scored more goals against Wolves (six) than any other opponent in English league football.

Can Howe turn Newcastle’s form around before a crucial run of tough games?

This might not be the headline fixture of the weekend but Newcastle arguably haven’t had a more important game all season.

Newcastle are averaging just 1.33 points per game in the Premier League, their lowest ratio in a season under head coach Eddie Howe. They are still only four points off seventh, however, meaning the campaign can be saved – but the rescue attempt needs to start now.

Howe’s side have lost four of their last five Premier League matches, a run that obviously has to stop, but more importantly Newcastle face a very difficult run of fixtures after this weekend’s game.

They play Man Utd (H) and Chelsea (A) next in the Premier League before the Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland at St James' Park, and sandwiched between those games is an FA Cup tie against Man City and both legs of their UEFA Champions League round-of-16 ties.

It’s an extremely difficult set of games, especially for a side that have struggled to juggle multiple competitions this season; Newcastle are winless in their last seven weekend matches following a midweek cup tie.

In other words, they simply have to beat Everton in order to start this crucial run in some kind of form.

But it won’t come easy. Everton have won the second-most away points in the Premier League since David Moyes’ first away game back in charge in January last year (38).

Do Burnley need to beat Brentford to keep safety hopes alive?

After beating Crystal Palace and drawing at Chelsea, Burnley have earned four points from their last two Premier League games, just one fewer than they had in their previous 16.

Scott Parker’s side are still eight points shy of the safety offered by 17th place. There is no doubt about it: if they are to stay up, they have to ride the momentum of those last two matches and put a serious winning streak together. This is their very last chance.

Brentford have won four of their last five Premier League away games, making them formidable opponents. However, should Burnley get a positive result at Turf Moor, they would feel the confidence flowing before a trip to Everton, who haven’t won a home game since early December.

Win both games and safety is on the cards. But fall short on Saturday and Burnley fans may give up hope.

Will Pereira’s new tactics play into Brighton’s hands?

Although a late Alexis Mac Allister goal won Liverpool the points, Forest played very well in their first game under head coach Vitor Pereira, and it should excite the club's supporters that the players so quickly took to his ideas.

Comparing their season averages to the 1-0 defeat against Liverpool, we can see just how dramatically Forest changed focus, moving towards an aggressive pressing game and counter-attacks funnelled quickly down both flanks.

Forest's attacking style per 90, MW1-26 v Liverpool

Matchweeks 1-26 v Liverpool High turnovers 3.3 8.0 Switches of play 7.1 12.0 Passes per defensive action 14.3 11.9

However, Brighton are simply not the kind of opponent to press onto. In fact, Pereira’s new system could prove to be a kamikaze mission.

Only two of Brighton’s eight Premier League wins this season came in matches when Fabian Hurzeler’s side have held more than 50 per cent possession, capturing the central issue with Brighton’s football: if they face low blocks they struggle, but if teams come onto them they revel in an end-to-end game.

Can Carrick's magic touch help Man Utd beat their bogey team?

Another late winner on Monday night, and another tough game navigated, has made Michael Carrick look like a manager with a magic touch. Man Utd have won five and drawn one of Carrick’s six games in charge, a phenomenal record that has seen them climb to within three points of third place.

But a true test of Carrick’s Midas touch comes on Sunday.

Palace have won four of their last six away league meetings with Man Utd, a pretty remarkable record that highlights just how often in recent years the hosts have struggled to play against well-drilled counter-attacking sides at Old Trafford.

What’s more, Palace have won two of their last three Premier League games and could feel revived by their UEFA Conference League exploits on Thursday evening.

How does Le Bris raise Sunderland’s energy levels for the run-in?

There is a serious danger that Sunderland’s excellent season is going to end in a whimper.

Perhaps it’s fatigue, or perhaps opponents have begun to work them out, but either way Sunderland are on the slide.

They have lost their last three Premier League games, as many as in their previous 12, and if we break their campaign into two halves it looks even starker.

Sunderland's record, first 13 matches v last 13 matches

Record Points per game First 13 matches W7 D4 L2 1.9 Last 14 matches W3 D5 L6 1.0

Regis Le Bris needs to find a way to raise the team’s spirits and raise their energy levels.

Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal | 2025/2026 | Premier League | Overview  Premier League

Football writer Ben Bloom examines Tottenham Hotspur's new head coach Igor Tudor, his track record in stabilising clubs and how his tactics could shape Spurs' run-in.

Following the departure of Thomas Frank, Tottenham Hotspur have entrusted Igor Tudor with holding the managerial reins until the end of the season.

But who is the Croat, what do Spurs see in him and how might he impact the struggling north London club?

Playing career

A no-nonsense centre-back also capable of featuring in defensive midfield, Tudor spent the bulk of his playing career at Italian club Juventus, having emerged from Hajduk Split in his home country.

Although he often struggled with injuries, he formed an important part of an iconic Juventus team that included the likes of Alessandro Del Piero, Lilian Thuram, David Trezeguet, Gianluigi Buffon, Pavel Nedved and Edgar Davids, which won back-to-back Serie A titles in 2001/02 and 2002/03.

He also started the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League final, which Juventus lost on penalties to AC Milan.

Back row (left to right): Gianluigi Buffon, Ciro Ferrara, Lilian Thuram, Igor Tudor, Alessio Tacchinardi, Paolo Montero

Front row (left to right): Gianluca Zambrotta, Mauro Camoranesi, Pavel Nedved, Edgar Davids, Alessandro Del Piero

During the first of those title-winning seasons, Tudor was named Croatian Player of the Year. He represented his country 55 times, including at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, where they finished third, as well as the 2006 World Cup, and the 2004 UEFA European Championships.

Persistent ankle problems prompted his playing retirement in 2008 at the age of 30.

Managerial career

After retiring as a player, Tudor began his coaching career with Hajduk Split’s youth teams. He spent nine months as Croatia assistant coach in 2012/13, before taking up his first senior managerial role back at Hajduk Split.

The 20 months he spent at the helm remains the longest he has stayed at any one club. Since then he has taken charge of PAOK, Karabukspor, Galatasaray, Udinese, Hajduk Split (again), Hellas Verona, Marseille, Lazio, Juventus and now Spurs, during a nomadic managerial career spanning six countries.

He departed Marseille after guiding them to third place in Ligue 1 during his only season in charge.

Following that French sojourn, he spent three months at Lazio, where he lost just two of his 11 games in charge, and then lasted seven months at Juventus in a stint that straddled two seasons.

Notably, from a Spurs perspective, in both of those last two roles he achieved success when stabilising clubs in crisis as they looked to remain in qualification for Europe at the back end of the season. He also twice kept relegation-threatened Udinese in Serie A when parachuted in over consecutive seasons.

At the clubs where he has managed at least 10 matches (his first spell with Udinese in 2018 only lasted four matches), he has always won at least four of those opening 10 games, and in his last three jobs he has won six of them.

Tudor's record in first 10 matches at each club

Team W D L Hajduk Split (2013) 4 3 3 PAOK 4 4 2 Karabukspor 4 0 6 Galatasaray 4 5 1 Udinese (2019) 4 3 3 Hajduk Split (2020) 5 4 1 Verona 5 4 1 Marseille 6 2 2 Lazio 6 2 2 Juventus 6 3 1

Scroll across on mobile to see the full table

Tactical style

Tudor arrives at Spurs with a defined philosophy that hinges on aggressive football, extremely high intensity and a demand for his players to run. When in charge of Marseille, he dropped the club’s most gifted player, Dimitri Payet, because the Frenchman was not known for his running work.

“In modern football, physicality cancels out quality so much,” he said when in charge of Juventus last year. “Quality is always important, of course, but without physicality, it doesn’t exist.”

Tudor also strongly prefers a 3-4-2-1 formation. He has used a back three in 120 of his 124 league matches in Europe's top five leagues.

How Spurs could line up this weekend under Tudor

Football writer Ben McAleer looks at the state of play at the bottom of the table, with a group of clubs fighting to avoid the drop.

We’re nearing the final stretch of the Premier League season as teams at both ends of the table seek glory and consolidation. At the bottom, clubs are striving to avoid dropping into the Championship.

The bottom three will ply their trade in England’s second tier next season. As things stand, that would be Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley, along with West Ham United who currently occupy 18th place. However, there is still plenty to play for between now and May, with more twists and turns sure to follow.

Burnley and Wolves need extraordinary turnaround

Wolves' situation looks perilous. Rob Edwards’ side have just nine points from 26 matches and find themselves 18 points off safety with 12 games to go. For a team that has only one league victory this season, they would need at least six more wins to give themselves a chance of staying up.

Burnley are in a stronger position, having collected 18 points following their surprise 3-2 victory at Crystal Palace, a result that ended a 16-game winless streak, yet they still need to make up a nine-point gap to 17th-placed Nottingham Forest.

The Clarets must effectively double their win count in order to still be playing Premier League football next season. It would take an extraordinary turnaround for the bottom two to start the 2026/27 campaign as top-flight sides.

Can Tudor arrest Spurs' slide?

Assuming that Burnley and Wolves have left themselves too much to do to stay up, the question now is who looks the most likely to join them in the bottom three come the end of May? Just six points separate Leeds United in 15th from West Ham in 18th, with Tottenham Hotspur and Forest sandwiched between the duo.

Spurs are the standout side in the quartet, as last season’s UEFA Europa League winners and one of only six ever-present clubs in the Premier League. West Ham and Forest have occasionally flirted with relegation, while Leeds were one of the early-season favourites to drop back into the Championship.

Based on recent form, it's Spurs who appear en route to lose this dogfight. The north London side are yet to win a league match in 2026, have won only two of their last 17 games and face league leaders and rivals Arsenal next.

Spurs will hope for a "new manager bounce" by the time they welcome the Gunners on Sunday 22 February, having relieved Thomas Frank of his duties, with Igor Tudor taking charge for the rest of the season.

West Ham and Leeds in form but Forest lacking goals

A 2-1 home defeat to West Ham was one of the deciding factors that effectively sealed Frank’s fate. The Hammers looked to be firmly stuck in the bottom three earlier in the year, yet Nuno Espirito Santo has since gone on to oversee three wins in five, including the aforementioned victory over Spurs. The appointment of Paco Jemez as a first-team coach has gone virtually unnoticed, and doesn’t get the credit it deserves.

Leeds, too, are picking up the odd result that will boost their hopes of avoiding an immediate return to the Championship. A 2-2 draw at Chelsea, where they battled back from 2-0 down, could prove crucial in the long run. Daniel Farke's side have lost only two of their last 13 matches. Conversely, they’ve won only four times in that period, one of which, however, came against relegation rivals Forest.

Forest clawed themselves three points clear of the drop zone, albeit with a 0-0 draw at home to Wolves, despite having 35 shots on goal. To some, that’s two points dropped rather than one gained. It was a result that cost Sean Dyche his job, even if it gave Forest a modicum of breathing space in this relegation scuffle.

Who has the toughest fixtures?

This breathing space could be key when taking into account the difficulty of their remaining games using the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), a resource that has long been useful for Fantasy Premier League managers when planning their future transfers.

The FDR is based on a complex algorithm developed by FPL experts and ranks fixtures by difficulty on a sliding scale from one (easiest) to five (hardest).

And with an FDR average of 3.08, it is West Ham who look to have the toughest set of matches to see out the season.

The Hammers have three fixtures over the next 12 Matchweeks that boast a difficulty rating of four (out of five), as they face Manchester City and Arsenal at home, and Newcastle United away, the latter outings coming in two of the final three weeks of the season.

Nuno’s side also have just three matches with an FDR rating of two or below as they take on Wolves, Everton and Leeds at London Stadium between now and May.

Forest, meanwhile, fair marginally better in their FDR, with an average of 3.00 for the next 12 games. They face Liverpool and Man City over the next three Matchweeks, with both opponents providing a difficulty rating of four. What’s more, only two of Forest's remaining matches have a two rating - home fixtures against Fulham and Burnley.

With the final eight games each given a rating of three, Vitor Pereira - appointed as new head coach at the City Ground on Sunday - is set for a testing start to life in Nottingham.

Finally, both Leeds and Spurs boast an average FDR of 2.83, which is a bonus given they sit six and five points, respectively, above the relegation zone.

Leeds, Spurs, Forest and West Ham's remaining fixtures

Spurs do have a tough set of away games to round off a disappointing season, notably trips to Anfield, where they haven’t won since 2011, and Stamford Bridge, where they have won just once in Premier League history, to face Liverpool and Chelsea, respectively.

Conversely, four of their remaining 12 games have an FDR of two or below, and two of those are against relegation rivals Forest and Leeds. Likewise, Leeds have four matches to go with an FDR of two or lower, while just two of the final 12 are ranked four or above.

All four sides will be looking to break the magic 40-point barrier, which is often viewed as the amount of points needed to stay up.

That said, the 40-point mark doesn’t necessarily need to be breached for teams to keep their head above water. In fact, back in 2002/03, West Ham were the last club to be relegated with at least 40 points. Eight sides – most recently Everton in 2022/23 – have avoided relegation on 36 points, while West Bromwich Albion in 2004/05 stayed up with the fewest points in Premier League history (34) as the Baggies pulled off the "Great Escape".

For context, West Ham are on course to finish on 35 points, based on their points-per-game ratio after 26 matches. However, that doesn't take into account their significant recent upturn in form: only Chelsea (13), Manchester United (13) and AFC Bournemouth (11) can better their 10 points over the past five matchweeks.

The Hammers will need to maintain that momentum, though, given they appear to have the toughest schedule to see out the campaign.

Football writer Ben McAleer looks at the state of play at the bottom of the table, with a group of clubs fighting to avoid the drop.

We’re nearing the final stretch of the Premier League season as teams at both ends of the table seek glory and consolidation. At the bottom, clubs are striving to avoid dropping into the Championship.

The bottom three will ply their trade in England’s second tier next season. As things stand, that would be Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley, along with West Ham United who currently occupy 18th place. However, there is still plenty to play for between now and May, with more twists and turns sure to follow.

Burnley and Wolves need extraordinary turnaround

Wolves' situation looks perilous. Rob Edwards’ side have just nine points from 26 matches and find themselves 18 points off safety with 12 games to go. For a team that has only one league victory this season, they would need at least six more wins to give themselves a chance of staying up.

Burnley are in a stronger position, having collected 18 points following their surprise 3-2 victory at Crystal Palace, a result that ended a 16-game winless streak, yet they still need to make up a nine-point gap to 17th-placed Nottingham Forest.

The Clarets must effectively double their win count in order to still be playing Premier League football next season. It would take an extraordinary turnaround for the bottom two to start the 2026/27 campaign as top-flight sides.

Can Tudor arrest Spurs' slide?

Assuming that Burnley and Wolves have left themselves too much to do to stay up, the question now is who looks the most likely to join them in the bottom three come the end of May? Just six points separate Leeds United in 15th from West Ham in 18th, with Tottenham Hotspur and Forest sandwiched between the duo.

Spurs are the standout side in the quartet, as last season’s UEFA Europa League winners and one of only six ever-present clubs in the Premier League. West Ham and Forest have occasionally flirted with relegation, while Leeds were one of the early-season favourites to drop back into the Championship.

Based on recent form, it's Spurs who appear en route to lose this dogfight. The north London side are yet to win a league match in 2026, have won only two of their last 17 games and face league leaders and rivals Arsenal next.

Spurs will hope for a "new manager bounce" by the time they welcome the Gunners on Sunday 22 February, having relieved Thomas Frank of his duties, with Igor Tudor taking charge for the rest of the season.

West Ham and Leeds in form but Forest lacking goals

A 2-1 home defeat to West Ham was one of the deciding factors that effectively sealed Frank’s fate. The Hammers looked to be firmly stuck in the bottom three earlier in the year, yet Nuno Espirito Santo has since gone on to oversee three wins in five, including the aforementioned victory over Spurs. The appointment of Paco Jemez as a first-team coach has gone virtually unnoticed, and doesn’t get the credit it deserves.

Leeds, too, are picking up the odd result that will boost their hopes of avoiding an immediate return to the Championship. A 2-2 draw at Chelsea, where they battled back from 2-0 down, could prove crucial in the long run. Daniel Farke's side have lost only two of their last 13 matches. Conversely, they’ve won only four times in that period, one of which, however, came against relegation rivals Forest.

Forest clawed themselves three points clear of the drop zone, albeit with a 0-0 draw at home to Wolves, despite having 35 shots on goal. To some, that’s two points dropped rather than one gained. It was a result that cost Sean Dyche his job, even if it gave Forest a modicum of breathing space in this relegation scuffle.

Who has the toughest fixtures?

This breathing space could be key when taking into account the difficulty of their remaining games using the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), a resource that has long been useful for Fantasy Premier League managers when planning their future transfers.

The FDR is based on a complex algorithm developed by FPL experts and ranks fixtures by difficulty on a sliding scale from one (easiest) to five (hardest).

And with an FDR average of 3.08, it is West Ham who look to have the toughest set of matches to see out the season.

The Hammers have three fixtures over the next 12 Matchweeks that boast a difficulty rating of four (out of five), as they face Manchester City and Arsenal at home, and Newcastle United away, the latter outings coming in two of the final three weeks of the season.

Nuno’s side also have just three matches with an FDR rating of two or below as they take on Wolves, Everton and Leeds at London Stadium between now and May.

Forest, meanwhile, fair marginally better in their FDR, with an average of 3.00 for the next 12 games. They face Liverpool and Man City over the next three Matchweeks, with both opponents providing a difficulty rating of four. What’s more, only two of Forest's remaining matches have a two rating - home fixtures against Fulham and Burnley.

With the final eight games each given a rating of three, Vitor Pereira - appointed as new head coach at the City Ground on Sunday - is set for a testing start to life in Nottingham.

Finally, both Leeds and Spurs boast an average FDR of 2.83, which is a bonus given they sit six and five points, respectively, above the relegation zone.

Leeds, Spurs, Forest and West Ham's remaining fixtures

Spurs do have a tough set of away games to round off a disappointing season, notably trips to Anfield, where they haven’t won since 2011, and Stamford Bridge, where they have won just once in Premier League history, to face Liverpool and Chelsea, respectively.

Conversely, four of their remaining 12 games have an FDR of two or below, and two of those are against relegation rivals Forest and Leeds. Likewise, Leeds have four matches to go with an FDR of two or lower, while just two of the final 12 are ranked four or above.

All four sides will be looking to break the magic 40-point barrier, which is often viewed as the amount of points needed to stay up.

That said, the 40-point mark doesn’t necessarily need to be breached for teams to keep their head above water. In fact, back in 2002/03, West Ham were the last club to be relegated with at least 40 points. Eight sides – most recently Everton in 2022/23 – have avoided relegation on 36 points, while West Bromwich Albion in 2004/05 stayed up with the fewest points in Premier League history (34) as the Baggies pulled off the "Great Escape".

For context, West Ham are on course to finish on 35 points, based on their points-per-game ratio after 26 matches. However, that doesn't take into account their significant recent upturn in form: only Chelsea (13), Manchester United (13) and AFC Bournemouth (11) can better their 10 points over the past five matchweeks.

The Hammers will need to maintain that momentum, though, given they appear to have the toughest schedule to see out the campaign.