Premier League: Ten things to look out for this weekend
1 Villa need to shake Carabao hangover
If Aston Villa’s defeat by Everton in midweek told us anything, it was perhaps that Unai Emery’s reserves are not as rich as first thought. Robin Olsen does not seem to strike anywhere near the same confidence into the back line as Emiliano Martínez and Leander Dendoncker, and Youri Tielemans looked sluggish. Jhon Durán, who has impressed in cameos, endured a forgettable 48 minutes.
The cavalry – Ollie Watkins, Boubacar Kamara and Martínez – will be back at home to Brighton on Saturday and at least a quick turnaround gives Villa a chance to shake off the pain of an unusually sloppy showing. Ben Fisher
Aston Villa v Brighton, Saturday 12.30pm
2 A repeat performance at Old Trafford?
After Manchester United handed Crystal Palace a 3-0 schooling in the Carabao Cup third round, this instant rematch raises precisely the same question for both teams. Which version will turn up at Old Trafford on Saturday? Will Erik ten Hag’s men again be free-flowing and camp at will in Palace territory, or are they to regress to their previous hotch-potch?
Are Roy Hodgson’s team to be as insipid and unimaginative or can the expected return of Eberechi Eze and Marc Guéhi transform them into a proposition able to stop their hosts dominating once more? Both sides could use a win as neither has enjoyed two on the bounce in the league this season. Jamie Jackson
Manchester United v Crystal Palace, Saturday 3pm
3 Adams aims to hit ground running
There was a welcome new face among Bournemouth’s match-day squad in midweek: Tyler Adams, a £20m signing from Leeds last month. The USA captain played the final 20 minutes of their routine win over Stoke, his first action since picking up a hamstring
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