Talking points ahead of a big weekend in the Premier League

The race for the top four is hotting up as Ben Burrows previews what to look out for on a big weekend for some of the Premier League’s big name managers

Some big name managers are under pressure to deliver (Getty/PA)

The Premier League returns with the race for the top four and the Champions League qualification places hotting up once again. With so much at stake the focus is shifting to those in charge with some of the game's biggest name managers in need of big results this weekend.

Here’s what to look out for:

Some things are more important than Mourinho

It’s the Jose Mourinho-ico at Stamford Bridge as the once Special One returns home for what should be a well and truly frosty reception. While the TV cameras will undoubtedly be trained on Jose the truth is this one matters far more than who is in the dugout.

With just one point between the Chelsea and Tottenham in the race for the top four this clash could well go a long way to deciding who will make the Champions League places when the season comes to its conclusion.

Spurs are, perhaps, the form side of the two, but with a growing injury list which now counts Son Heung-min amongst its many, many members. On the other side, Chelsea’s home advantage isn’t really much of an advantage at all right now, but Tammy Abraham should be back in what could prove a timely boost.

Football, not finances, the focus for City

The focus has been firmly trained off the pitch over the last week in one of the most tumultuous weeks in Manchester City’s modern history. Pep Guardiola is at pains to point out that his side are fully concentrated on the task at hand, but it’d be unrealistic to expect the last seven days not to have an effect on the champions’ performances.

West Ham were swatted aside with the minimum of fuss in midweek but Leicester are an entirely different proposition. While they aren’t perhaps in the same form as earlier in the year they’re are still a tough nut to crack – especially at home – and will be up for this one with second place, behind runaway leaders Liverpool, up for grabs.

Guardiola is trying to concentrate on football (Getty)

Consistency the key for Solskjaer

It remains a case of two steps forward, one step back for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and a Manchester United side still firmly stuck in transition. The impressive – and important – win over Chelsea on Monday was followed up by an altogether more underwhelming draw at Club Brugge on Thursday, again illustrating the key problem Solskjaer must overcome.

Consistency of performances is what drives the best teams on and with a Watford side that humbled United earlier in the season coming to town it is an opportunity for the hosts to show they can string more than one or two displays together at a time. Solskjaer's prospects of keeping his job may well depend on it.

Can Wolves seize top four initiative?

Thursday's win over Espanyol could scarcely have been more impressive. 4-0 with a Ruben Neves howitzer to boot and Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have one-and-a-half feet in the next round. Now attentions turn back to whether they can qualify for the Champions League without winning the Europa League.

The race for the top four is in many ways a race to the bottom with every contender and pretender seemingly stumbling one after another. After back-to-back draws in the Premier League, Wolves will see hosting basement-dwelling Norwich as just the opportunity they need to stop the rot.

With winnable games coming up, could Wolves finally be the team to take a top four spot and keep it?

Everton look to make statement

If Mikel Arteta’s incremental improvements at Arsenal are really going to make a lasting difference then these are the matches the Gunners need to win. The Spaniard will be acutely aware that while the performances have improved under his watch there have been too few wins to go with them with Sunday as good a chance as any to put that right.

On the opposite side, Carlo Ancelotti himself has overseen a steady upturn in performances and results since joining Everton and will see the game at the Emirates as a prime opportunity for a first real statement win.

This marks the first of a murderers’ row of matches for the Toffees with clashes against Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Leicester and Tottenham all coming up over the next month or so. What Ancelotti would give for a victory on the road to kick off that run in the best possible fashion.