The Premier League title race is gathering pace again and there are six-pointers on the horizon, in all the main tussles within the most exciting competition in the world.
Leaders Arsenal have a London Derby with Tottenham in just over a week, a match which affects the title race and the fight for Champions League places. The Manchester Derby is also on next week when fourth placed United host title favourites City. In the East Midlands two teams just two points clear of the bottom three meet, as Nottingham Forest face Leicester City, while bottom club Southampton meets 18th placed Everton.
As the Premier League 2023 results start to roll in the situations at either end of the table will become clearer by the week, but this weekend we have a break for the FA Cup; and so now is the perfect time to see how the transfer window is shaping up in the early days and which bosses desperately need a good few weeks on and off the field.
Badiashile arrives at the Bridge
Graham Potter’s Chelsea have made the first big move in the market with the signing of Benoit Badiashile in a £35m switch from Ligue 1 club Monaco. The 21 year old has been given a seven and a half year contract at Stamford Bridge and arrives having made 135 appearances for Monaco and won two caps with France. The defender has a big future but Potter may be tempted to blood him sooner rather than later.
The Blues are still being linked with Benfica star Enzo Fernandez who burst onto the international scene last month with World Cup winners Argentina. The player is reported to be missing from Benfica’s line up in their match against Portimonense on Friday night.
Elsewhere, Manchester United have completed the signing of Crystal Palace goalkeeper Jack Butland on loan until the end of the season. Martin Dubravka has returned to Newcastle United so Butland will be back-up to number one David de Gea. And bottom club Southampton are close to signing Croatia World Cup star Mislav Orsic who was in the city completing a medical on Friday. Orsic made six appearances for Croatia in Qatar and scored in the third placed play-off win against Morocco. The 30 year old was set to move to Burnley 12 months ago but changed his mind at the 11th hour, though he looks like seeing through his move to the Saints and head coach Nathan Jones will hope he can spark some sort of a revival at the club.
Lampard must be on thin ice
There are a number of Premier League managers currently feeling the heat but there can’t be many under more pressure than Everton boss Frank Lampard. The Toffees escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth last season and they are in the mire again, third from bottom and with a return of one point from the last five games. A 4-1 battering at home to Brighton sent fans at Goodison Park into a frenzy and the former Chelsea player desperately needs a win.
The Premier League 2023 betting odds have long since written Liverpool off for the title but, across the park from Goodison, all is not well with the Reds and Jurgen Klopp has just received the bad news that centre back Virgil Van Dijk could be out for a month after picking up an injury in Liverpool’s defeat to Brentford.
Graham Potter must be getting a little uncomfortable in the Chelsea hot seat after a run of one win in five league games. Club owner Todd Boehly will need patience to stick with his manager who is clearly a very good coach, but is this job too big at this stage in his career?
David Moyes has stacks of experience but, after two top seven finishes his West Ham United side is in 17th place and only outside the drop zone on goal difference. Moyes spent over £150m on players in the summer but he hasn’t ruled out dipping back into the market again this month. I wouldn’t rule out Moyes returning to Everton if that job becomes available; it might just work out for both clubs.
Meanwhile Jesse Marsch has been lifting the pressure at Elland Road with an upturn in form. Leeds grabbed a point in a thrilling tussle with West Ham on Wednesday as SBOTOP football fans saw the game ebb and flow, eventually finishing 2-2. That made it a decent return of a win, two draws and two defeats for the Whites who are on the right lines… but there is more work to be done.
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