Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend
1 Tsimikas gets chance to shine.
Kostas Tsimikas has started 18 Premier League games since joining Liverpool for £11.75m from Olympiakos in 2020; never threatening to take Andy Robertson’s place at left-back but proving himself a dependable stand-in, with a decisive shootout contribution to the 2022 FA Cup victory thrown in for good measure.
Liverpool’s reliance on “the Greek Scouser”, as he is known at Anfield, is set to increase for the foreseeable future with Robertson sidelined by a shoulder injury suffered in Scotland’s defeat by Spain.
Tsimikas faces an intense start in the first Merseyside derby of the season on Saturday lunchtuime (12.30) although how much his defensive attributes will be tested may depend on the tactics Sean Dyche adopts at Anfield.
Liverpool coped adequately the last time Robertson was absent for a sizeable period – winning three, drawing one and losing one of the five matches he missed 12 months ago – and need his deputy to seize a rare chance to impress as Jürgen Klopp’s side seek a return to winning ways.
Andy Hunter
2 Are City too slick to keep losing?
To find the last time a Pep Guardiola side suffered three straight league defeats you have to rewind to May 2015, when Bayern Munich went down to Bayer Leverkusen (2-0), Augsburg (1-0) and Freiburg (2-1), with the title already sealed.
After Manchester City’s defeats to Wolves and Arsenal, Brighton can extend the losing streak if they beat the champions on Saturday at the Etihad Stadium.
That is easier said than done: both recent defeats were away from home, with Rodri absent, and part of Guardiola’s managerial genius is his ability to solve mid-season problems.
Against Roberto De Zerbi’s fluid pass masters, City’s performance will
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