Author: Guardian sport

Fulham’s Antonee Robinson shines against Bukayo Saka, Tottenham squander another lead and woe at Old Trafford

There are numerous issues when taking over a team mid-season. One is that a new head coach might not have the right players for his plan and he has very little time to implement what he wants with those he does. Ruben Amorim has arranged his players – in various combinations – into his preferred 3-4-3 formation and it is clear what the strategy is, although there are flaws. The defence is struggling, where the three centre-backs are not performing their main duty of keeping clean sheets. Against Forest every set-piece looked like it might result in a goal. Only Nikola Milenkovic did score from a corner but the others were more farcical as André Onana got confused by Morgan Gibbs-White and a seemingly harmless Chris Wood header was allowed to drop in off the post. Maybe chopping and changing is Amorim’s issue and he needs to back a first-choice back three to allow them to settle and offer a foundation to build on. Will Unwin

Leaders Liverpool travel to Goodison Park bidding for a 100th victory in the Merseyside derby against Everton

Saturday 12.30pm TNT Sports 1 Venue Goodison Park

Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández hits form, Newcastle have lost their shooting boots and Brighton rue a chance missed

Late-2024 Liverpool are reminiscent of the late-2019 team that eventually won the club’s first league title in 30 years. Back then, a 3-1 home win against Manchester City put Jürgen Klopp’s side eight points above second place, and nine above City. In 2024, they are nine points above second and 11 above City – with, we hope, no pandemic to interrupt the season. There are eight players from that squad still at Liverpool, and if the football is more measured under Arne Slot, Sunday’s potential knockout blow was achieved in the heavy-metal fashion of a Klopp team. “I knew Jürgen left the team in a very good place,” said the diplomatic Dutchman afterwards.

Match report: Liverpool 2-0 Manchester City

Match report: West Ham 2-5 Arsenal

Match report: Chelsea 3-0 Aston Villa

Match report: Manchester United 4-0 Everton

Liverpool bid to go 11 points clear of Manchester City by inflicting a fourth successive league defeat on champions

Friday 8pm Sky Sports Premier League Venue Amex Stadium

Fraser Forster steps up for Spurs, while the threat level is at its highest for Manchester City at Anfield

Fabian Hürzeler singled out Joël Veltman as one of the Premier League’s most underrated players as Brighton prepare to face the bottom side, Southampton, on Friday. “He knows what to do to win games,” Hürzeler said of the Netherlands defender, who has started all but one of Brighton’s league games so far. Veltman – who spent eight years at Ajax before moving to the Amex in 2020 for £900,000 – is 11 months older than his manager and his experience has proved invaluable to his side in the absence of the captain, Lewis Dunk, through injury. He is expected to return against Russell Martin’s side as Brighton attempt to record a fourth clean sheet of the league season, not to mention take the opportunity to move into second place in the table before the rest of the weekend’s fixtures. Ed Aarons

Brighton v Southampton, Friday 8pm (all times GMT)

Brentford v Leicester, Saturday 3pm

Crystal Palace v Newcastle, Saturday 3pm

Nottingham Forest v Ipswich, Saturday 3pm

Amad Diallo shows versatility, Ethan Nwaneri offers plenty of potential and Danny Welbeck’s role is key for Brighton

For the established full-back, a wing-back role must be liberating, permission granted to embark on an adventure in the other half. Amad Diallo was faced with the less desirable situation against Ipswich, a forward forced to track back as he slotted in on the right of Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1. Diallo retained his attacking aggression, immediately rampaging forward and evading challenges to set up Marcus Rashford’s early opener. He was responsible in defence and one of United’s brightest performers in a mostly bleak display, even threatening to deliver a late winner when cutting inside into the box to let fly. Diallo is most likely just a stopgap in the position but his adaptability has some worth as Amorim searches for his best XI. Taha Hashim

Match report: Ipswich 1-1 Manchester United

Match report: Manchester City 0-4 Tottenham

Match report: Southampton 2-3 Liverpool

Match report: Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Match report: Leicester 1-2 Chelsea

Match report: Fulham 1-4 Wolves

Match report: Aston Villa 2-2 Crystal Palace