Leeds will test Chelsea’s progress under Rosenior
Chelsea vs Leeds – 7.30pm, Tuesday
Chelsea have been flat-track bullies under Liam Rosenior in the Premier League. Four wins and 11 goals have put them firmly in the Champions League race, making ground on third-placed Aston Villa and moving above Liverpool. Leeds will test their improvements.
Daniel Farke’s side were going down until the sides met at the start of December. Leeds switched to a back three for the first time and ended a four-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory full of energy at Elland Road. They have lost just twice in their 11 league games since then, moving six points above the bottom three.
Chelsea had just earned a spirited 1-1 draw with 10 men against Arsenal and were being talked up as possible title contenders before Leeds ended those hopes and marked the beginning of the end for Enzo Maresca.
Rosenior’s arrival has not been without its issues. His tactics were questioned in their Carabao Cup exit to Arsenal and they avoided defeats to Napoli and West Ham with dramatic second-half comebacks. They cannot afford to keep giving the opposition head starts.
Cole Palmer roared back into form with a hat-trick at Wolves on Sunday, but this will be a wholly different assignment against an aggressive Leeds side that thrives under the lights, winning five and drawing one of their seven evening fixtures this season.
David Richardson
Everton need spark at home to ignite European push
Everton vs Bournemouth – 7.30pm, Tuesday
The move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium has not yet paid off for Everton, whose European hopes have been boosted by the fifth-best away record in the Premier League, leaving them just two points behind sixth-placed Liverpool.
Everton are still adjusting to their new surroundings, with just four wins at home since leaving Goodison Park, their last coming in early December, but Bournemouth have only two victories on the road.
The visitors have recently eased relegation concerns with a five-game unbeaten run. They should have earned a third consecutive victory on Saturday against Aston Villa, denied by Emi Martinez’s seven saves, but new signing Rayan showed more promise on his first start since signing from Vasco da Gama for £30.3m.
Rayan (left) scored his first goal for Bournemouth on his first start
The 19-year-old Brazilian, who is seen as a long-term replacement for Antoine Semenyo, followed up his assist at Wolves the week before by ghosting past Lucas Digne on the right before firing past Martinez. Bournemouth are still providing plenty of attacking threat without Semenyo and the injured Justin Kluivert and Marcus Tavernier.
Everton haven’t lost in five either and their late turnaround win at Fulham added to goals in the final 15 minutes against Brighton and Leeds in their previous two games. David Moyes’ side are grinding out results and now they need one on home turf to really worry Liverpool and the top seven.
David Richardson
Frank and Howe desperate for win to ease pressure
Tottenham vs Newcastle – 7.30pm, Tuesday
Two managers under pressure. Two stretched squads. And so much on the line when a team with a wretched home record hosts visitors with away-day issues.
Thomas Frank and Eddie Howe have been forced to field questions about their managerial futures amid worrying runs of results and performances from their teams and this is a game they dare not lose.
Howe can at least lean on a favourable record against Frank – he’s won six of their nine meetings. His points-per-game record against the Dane is Howe’s best against any manager he’s faced at least five times.
But with just two wins out of their last 15 on the road in the Premier League, Newcastle will be just as nervy as the home side going into this one.
Spurs supporters were right behind their side at Old Trafford on Saturday, despite the handicap of Cristian Romero’s early red card. But, without their captain on Tuesday, it would not be a surprise to feel the atmosphere sour if Newcastle do make a positive start in the game. Tottenham fans have seen their team win just four of their last 26 at home in the league.
Being sucked into a relegation battle is not out of the question for the Londoners, while European qualification is looking increasingly tricky for Newcastle. For both, a win would be precious. For both, a defeat would be devastating.
Peter Smith
Man Utd momentum daunting for in-form West Ham
West Ham vs Manchester United – 8.15pm, Tuesday
It’s two years since Manchester United last beat West Ham. Crysencio Summerville is on a five-game scoring streak. And Nuno Espirito Santo has revived the Hammers’ survival hopes with three wins in four Premier League games.
But the momentum Manchester United will bring to east London on Tuesday night under Michael Carrick’s management would be daunting for any opponent right now.
Last time in the capital, they pulled off a thrilling win at Premier League leaders Arsenal, and with four wins on the spin, former Hammers midfielder Carrick is marshalling a team filled with confidence.
Bruno Fernandes has been at the heart of Carrick’s fast start, scoring against Spurs to reach 200 goal involvements for the club – and with 10 in his last eight Premier League away games Nuno will need a gameplan to limit him.
But after beating one of his old sides on Saturday, the expectation is that Carrick will do the same to West Ham this midweek, regardless of the Hammers’ recent resurgence.
Peter Smith
Villa’s season losing momentum?
Aston Villa vs Brighton – 7.30pm, Wednesday
Aston Villa’s home form has them third in the Premier League table, having turned Villa Park into a fortress under Unai Emery. Eighteen unbeaten there in the competition last season, they had won eight in a row this time around until this alarming dip of late.
Home losses to Everton and Brentford have curtailed momentum and there really will be panic on the Holte End if they succumb to defeat against Brighton. Manchester United and Chelsea are catching Villa. Liverpool are not far behind.
The fear is that it is not only the teams below them who are catching up with Villa but the schedule too. Emery’s side could yet play 60 games this season compared to United’s 40 – and are without Youri Tielemans, John McGinn and Boubacar Kamara.
