With the Premier League returning this weekend, Desh Parthab highlights five things that you need to keep an eye on!
Records are being broken as we hurtle toward the end of the 21/22 Premier League season. Leeds came back from 2+ goals down at halftime to win a Premier League game for the first time ever, losing on each of their previous 47 occasions where they were two down at the break.
Crystal Palace became just the second club to stop Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City from scoring both home and away in a Premier League season, after Manchester United (20/21).
With league action resuming this weekend, here are five players who will find themselves in the spotlight this weekend.
King Kai
Across Chelsea’s previous three league outings, Kai Haverts has been directly involved in five goals, scoring four and assisting once. He has attempted a total of nine shots during that period, eight of which were on target with the other one hitting the woodwork. Stamford Bridge is slowly returning to the fortress that it once was. The Blues have kept four clean sheets in their previous five league outings. They take on a Brentford side that have attempted 317 shots at this stage of the campaign – only four clubs have registered fewer at this stage of the season.
Kai Havertz is our xG Premier League Player of the Month for March!
— Sporting Life Football & Infogol (@InfogolApp) March 31, 2022
The Chelsea star scored 4 goals (2.1 xG) in 3 games - with an Infogol performance rating of 9.25.
🏆👏 #CFC pic.twitter.com/CugRSjmLpB
Streaky Salah
Since returning from AFCON, Mohamed Salah has featured in seven league games for Liverpool – but has scored just once from open play during that period. Indeed, his previous three league goals have come from the penalty spot showing he still has a cool head on his shoulders (although some may dispute that after his recent miss for Egypt). Liverpool are unbeaten in their last eight league fixtures (W7 D1), with no side currently on a longer run without defeat in the competition than the Reds.
I mean, just look at this. Salah sails his penalty over… and surely anybody would, given the lasers.
— Henry Bushnell (@HenryBushnell) March 29, 2022
Mane scores, Senegal wins the shootout, Egypt out of the World Cup pic.twitter.com/tgHmCmW8uu
Bernd’s redemption
Bernd Leno earned his first league clean sheet this season last time out when Arsenal took on Aston Villa. After conceding nine goals in his opening three league fixtures, Leno was dropped for Aaron Ramsdale who went on to keep an impressive 12 clean sheets in 24 league outings for Arsenal. With Ramsdale ruled out due to injury, Leno is poised to add to Arsenal’s tally of 13 league clean sheets in 28 league fixtures (only Liverpool and Manchester City have kept more, joint level on 17 clean sheets apiece). Another thing to keep in mind is that Leno is likely to leave at the season when he’ll have a year left on his current deal. This run of games gives him the perfect opportunity to put himself in the shop window.
🇩🇪 Bernd Leno appreciation tweet ⚪️🔴pic.twitter.com/qBeaG4oAcF
— Gooner Chris (@ArsenalN7) March 19, 2022
Seagulls failing to get off the ground
Brighton’s dismal form stems from the American Express Community Stadium (Amex) which has seen them take just 14 points from their 15 home league fixtures. Graham Potter’s men have scored just 10 goals across their 15 home league fixtures, with seven of the Seagulls’ 10 league defeats this term coming at home. Having lost just four of their first 23 league games of the season, Brighton have lost each of their last six in a row. They come up against a Norwich side that have lost 20 of their 29 league games this season. Brighton will need to take maximum points against Norwich with their next three games coming against Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester City.
The month ahead. 👀 First up: #NCFC. 🔜 pic.twitter.com/ipFo8BwDlF
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) April 1, 2022
Wicked Wilfried
Across Crystal Palace’s previous four league outings, Wilfried Zaha’s eight chances created and 12 successful dribbles are both team-leading totals for this period. Furthermore, his three goals from nine shots are also team highs during this time. The club do have some form ahead of this one as Viera’s men are undefeated across their previous four league outings. With that being said, they come up against an Arsenal side that have won five consecutive away league fixtures.
The King of Selhurst.
— Sam🦅🏴 (@cpfc_samh) March 30, 2022
Mr Crystal Palace.@wilfriedzaha ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/Jy01nQo03k
