Author: Guardian sport

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

Out-of-form Manchester City host Tottenham while Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United reign starts at Ipswich

Saturday 12.30pm TNT Sports 1 Venue King Power Stadium

Højlund has chance to impress Amorim, Villa look to end miserable month and will Forest trouble Arsenal?

After masterminding Leicester’s return to the Premier League, Enzo Maresca jumped ship to Chelsea. The Italian had given little confidence he would stay at the King Power, despite his success amid problems in the background and the lure of London. Maresca did, however, ensure he took one thing with him in the form of the central midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, a leading light in the Foxes’ promotion charge. While Maresca has impressed at Stamford Bridge, Dewsbury-Hall is yet to find his feet and has been limited to a cup-player role. Of his 10 appearances for Chelsea, only three have been in the league and none from the start. It might be time to show some faith in him and there is no better place to do so than his old home. Dewsbury-Hall rose through the ranks at Leicester and his £30m transfer fee this summer was highly beneficial to their accounts after financial problems. Leicester fans will welcome back Maresca and Dewsbury-Hall with open arms, the embrace the latter might need to kickstart his Chelsea career. Will Unwin

Leicester v Chelsea, Saturday 12.30pm (all times GMT)

Bournemouth v Brighton, Saturday 3pm

Arsenal v Nottingham Forest, Saturday 3pm

Aston Villa v Crystal Palace, Saturday 3pm

Everton v Brentford, Saturday 3pm

Fulham v Wolves, Saturday 3pm

Ipswich’s young English duo catch the eye, Liverpool march on and the brilliance of Brighton’s Carlos Baleba

It took them an hour of huffing and puffing, but Arsenal did something at Stamford Bridge they hadn’t managed since September – they scored an away goal in the Premier League. After toothless performances at Newcastle and Inter in the past week – and last month at Bournemouth – Gabriel Martinelli’s cute finish was itself a moment of relief, but Mikel Arteta was frustrated that his team didn’t find a winner. Their expected goals figure was lower than Chelsea’s (1.27 to 1.69) but that does not account for Leandro Trossard’s costly miskick at the death nor Kai Havertz’s would-be opener, which was just offside. The Gunners will almost always control games, especially now Martin Ødegaard is fit and firing again, but that age-old itch has not been scratched. They are not ruthless enough and they still lack a penalty box killer. Dominic Booth

Match report: Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal

Match report: Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa

Match report: Brighton 2-1 Manchester City

Match report: Manchester United 3-0 Leicester

Match report: Nottingham Forest 1-3 Newcastle

Match report: Tottenham 1-2 Ipswich

Match report: Brentford 3-2 Bournemouth

Lucas Paquetá is struggling, Ruud van Nistelrooy nears Old Trafford farewell and will Luis Díaz play as a striker again?

Brentford have scored nine and conceded six in their past two Premier League home games. Their leaky defence did not cost them in victories over Wolves and Ipswich but they were shown up by Harry Wilson’s injury-time double on Monday night at Fulham to suggest things need to improve at the back. Wilson’s goals both came from crosses. Brentford allowed Fulham to cross the ball 43 times, although Thomas Frank was not too worried about it and was surprisingly relaxed that they led to two goals. With Ethan Pinnock and Nathan Collins, he does have centre-backs capable of dealing with the majority but it is a dangerous game to play. Bournemouth will have taken note and their fine wingers and full-backs will probably target the space afforded out wide. Will Unwin

Brentford v Bournemouth, Saturday 3pm (all times GMT)

Crystal Palace v Fulham, Saturday 3pm

West Ham v Everton, Saturday 3pm

Wolves v Southampton, Saturday 3pm

Brighton v Manchester City, Saturday 5.30pm

Liverpool v Aston Villa, Saturday 8pm

Manchester United v Leicester, Sunday 2pm

Nottingham Forest v Newcastle, Sunday 2pm

Forest and Bournemouth shine again, Gordon provides Tyneside tonic, while Gomez and Solanke are winning over doubters

If Ruud van Nistelrooy was supposed to wash the nostalgia out of the Manchester United system then perhaps that was achieved, though maybe not as intended. If Rúben Amorim was distracted from preparing Sporting for Manchester City on Tuesday, he will be more aware of a United squad bereft of confidence. United’s first 60 minutes against Chelsea saw them fumble pathetically for creativity. Not even the presence of one of the club’s greatest strikers has lifted the finishing quality in a group low on goals. Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford were both bereft of touch and instinct; substitute Joshua Zirkzee’s signing remains a mystery. There was something of Van Nistelrooy in Rasmus Højlund winning Bruno Fernandes’s penalty, and the goalscorer’s knee slide towards the tunnel at the Stretford End. But there was to be no Ferguson-era ecstatic denouement. This United don’t do them. Van Nistelrooy has two games remaining until United seek the progressive future postponed by mistakenly retaining Erik ten Hag. John Brewin

Match report: Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea

Match report: Newcastle 1-0 Arsenal

Match report: Tottenham 4-1 Aston Villa

Match report: Liverpool 2-1 Brighton

Match report: Wolves 2-2 Crystal Palace

Match report: Bournemouth 2-1 Manchester City