Unai Emery returns and big clubs meet: this week’s Premier League talking points

The penultimate round of Premier League fixtures before the competition pauses for the World Cup take place this weekend with several eye-catching matches.

Unai Emery will make his Aston Villa bow while four of the ‘big six’ do battle on Sunday, with Arsenal visiting Chelsea and Tottenham playing host to Liverpool.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the talking points ahead of match-round 14.

Unai at the wheel

Unai Emery will this weekend begin his task of turning around the fortunes of 16th-placed Aston Villa and his own reputation in England. The Spaniard has replaced Steven Gerrard, who, despite being given money to spend in the summer, struggled for wins this season. Emery left last year’s Europa League winners Villarreal to take his second job in the Premier League and will start his tenure against Manchester United on Sunday. Victory over United on penalties in 2021 helped show why Emery had been held in such high regard before a disappointing spell with Arsenal, which ended with the 51-year-old being sacked and widely mocked for his small difficulties with the English language. Yet Emery’s CV speaks for itself, with trophies won at Sevilla, Paris St Germain and Villarreal showing that if Villa can halt the slide, they could have found the man who could truly return them to past glory days.

Auba to derail the Arteta express?

Mikel Arteta took over from Emery at the Emirates in 2019 and three years later has turned Arsenal into an impressive outfit. The Gunners deservedly sit top of the Premier League following one domestic defeat all season, with ex-captain Arteta fostering an excellent team harmony with a mixture of younger and olders player at the London club. Sunday will prove the latest test of their title credentials with a trip to Chelsea, where Arteta will go face to face with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. It was Arteta who essentially forced Aubameyang out in January and while the results show it was a wise decision, the Gabon international can serve the best revenge at Stamford Bridge this weekend.

Inconsistent Liverpool must survive second-half Spurs

Liverpool’s pattern of taking one step forward and then one back continued this week with a shock loss at home to Leeds backed up by a strong showing to beat Napoli in the Champions League. Jurgen Klopp’s side are ninth in the Premier League after last weekend’s loss, their fourth in the division this term, and already 10 points off Sunday’s hosts Tottenham. While Spurs have played one more fixture than Liverpool, victory for Antonio Conte’s side would open up a healthy gap between the clubs and almost push last season’s cup double-winners out of top-four contention. If Liverpool can win in the capital, they will most likely have to survive another second-half rally from Tottenham, who have trailed at half-time in each of their last three games before hitting back. This season 22 of their 34 goals have come in the second half.

English Toffees look to impress

It is widely accepted Jordan Pickford will start for England at the World Cup but he could be joined in Qatar by a number of his Everton team-mates. Summer signings James Tarkowski and Conor Coady have hugely caught the eye at Goodison Park with a string of excellent displays in defence while further upfield Frank Lampard should have both Anthony Gordon and Dominic Calvert-Lewin ready to hurt Saturday’s opponents Leicester. Calvert-Lewin has struggled with injuries in 2022 but previously been trusted by Three Lions chief Gareth Southgate, who could also cast an eye over James Maddison if he attends the Toffees fixture with the Foxes. With three goals in the Premier League this season, Anthony Gordon will aim to outshine Maddison and push himself forward to be a bolter at this month’s international tournament.

Can Newcastle maintain march?

Newcastle have put together a superb eight-match unbeaten run since a dramatic defeat at Anfield in August to storm into Champions League qualification contention. The return to fitness of Callum Wilson has helped Eddie Howe’s men recently turn draws into wins and they will hope for another three points away to Southampton this weekend. Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side are unpredictable from week to week, going from holding Arsenal to a draw to then losing meekly at struggling Wolves and Villa. If the Magpies can steal the points it will go a long way to ensuring they finish the first half of the campaign in the top four.