World Cup hangover: Ten questions hanging over the return of the Premier League
MEMORABLE CAMPAIGN: Morocco's Hakim Ziyech celebrates after winning the penalty shoot-out against Spain in the World Cup. Pic: Adam Davy/PA Wire
Arguably no “big six” club faces more questions than Liverpool but the absence of the two forwards looks like being key to Jurgen Klopp recovering from a disastrous opening to the season and pushing on for a top-four finish. Luis Diaz only arrived in January but instantly made his mark while Diogo Jota scored 15 times in the league last season. With the loss of Sadio Mane still being felt, the subtraction of their goals could prove fatal. Nearly as important remains the question over whether Fabinho can rediscover his form or Thiago Alcantara can stay fit long enough to help a struggling midfield.
One win and one draw in their seven league games before the World Cup break suggests Everton are going to need the same sort of last-gasp relegation escape act that they performed last season. Much will depend on the January transfer window, and whether Lampard is allowed to strengthen his under-achieving squad, as well as the form of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, limited to four league starts by injuries. Winger Anthony Gordon is Everton’s leading scorer with three and only bottom-placed Wolves have fewer goals than the Toffees. Without new blood, or an explosion from Calvert-Lewin, the alternatives are grim, as are Lampard’s job prospects and the hope of a fanatically loyal fan base sticking by him.
Just two defeats in the 13 games before the break suggests Erik ten Hag is moving United in the right direction but they could badly do with Maguire, who turned in his customary solid England displays in Qatar, to translate international form to club level - especially as central defenders Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane will be late returning to Old Trafford after their countries reached Sunday’s final. The final divorce from Cristiano Ronaldo makes Anthony Martial’s fitness more important than ever and ten Hag needs Jadon Sancho, whose off-field issues led to him taking a leave of absence this month, to return to the fold, although some reports suggest he may be allowed to leave on loan next month.
The Norwegian was hardly struggling before the break but he did “only” score three goals in his last five games before Qatar - after scoring 20 times in his first 12 City appearances. Six weeks of rest and conditioning can, surely, only help him continue to avoid the niggling injuries that plagued him elsewhere. But, the "in case of emergency, break glass" option for Pep Guardiola is now intriguing. Julian Alvarez started just three league games for City before winning the World Cup with Argentina, featuring in all seven games and scoring four times in Qatar. As one of the tournament's breakout young stars, he gives City even more frightening attacking options.
The influence that the Portuguese super agent has wielded over Wolves in recent years - and still retains - could be key to the Premier League’s bottom cub surviving in the second half of the season. There is no doubt where their primary problems lie, with Wolves having scored just eight goals in 15 league games to date. New manager Julen Lopetegui has told Spanish media that £30 million-rated Atletico Madrid striker Matheus Cunha is a major target next month. Real Valladolid defenders Javi Sanchez and Ivan Fresneda are also on the wishlist of Lopetegui, who is understood to have told ownership his club needs to add six new faces to have any hope of survival.
Rarely does Eddie Howe quote the Beatles at his press briefings, but when it comes to lifting Bruno Guimaraes from his World Cup disappointment, then according to the Newcastle manager, all you need is love. Frankly, who wouldn't have their nose put out of joint by having to play second-fiddle to Manchester United's Fred in Qatar? Howe believes the perfect pick-me-up for his brassed-off Brazilian is the warmest of welcomes back into the bosom of Tyneside's footballing family.
"Every one of our players needs some Newcastle love," the manager said. "Bruno is no different and if he feels that love for him we can see the same Bruno return as the one who left for the World Cup - someone who is a massive presence in our team."
Morocco’s record-breaking march to the semi-finals was one of the stand-out stories in Qatar and Hakim Ziyech, the Chelsea winger, was at the heart of their memorable campaign.
Ziyech’s ability has never been in doubt but this month he demonstrated levels of belief, spirit and commitment that haven’t always been evident since he joined the Blues from Ajax before the start of the 2020/21 season.
Chelsea fans were entitled to wonder what had happened to a player who has frequently found himself on the fringes at Stamford Bridge. Ziyech will return with his confidence boosted and the challenge for manager Graham Potter is to find a way to ensure the winger transfers his form for his national team to his club.
It is a measure of Brighton’s outstanding recruitment policy that the South Coast club was represented in the World Cup final. And not just represented - Alexis Mac Allister’s display showed he was completely at home on the biggest stage with his assist for Angel Di Maria’s goal one of the moments of the match.
It is also a measure of the club’s shrewd way of doing business that they agreed a new three-year contract with the attacking midfielder in October. Paul Barber, the club’s CEO, this week confirmed negotiations will now take place to improve those terms but with a host of clubs eyeing the player, it’s likely the club’s determination to keep the player will soon be tested.
It was no consolation to Harry Kane that England’s quarter-final exit was regarded by many as one of the games of the tournament. The forward’s trophy cabinet remains empty and at 29, Kane faces a career-defining decision in the coming months with his current contract due to expire in June 2024.
There is little doubt Kane will quickly shrug off the disappointment of the penalty miss that contributed to England’s exit, but the progress made by Antonio Conte’s squad during the second half of the season will contribute to his view of whether he can achieve his ambitions at the north London club. A factor in that decision might be the outcome of Conte’s contract talks with the manager’s current deal running only until the end of the campaign.
The sight of Gabriel Jesus hobbling out of Brazil’s final group game in Qatar was the last thing Mikel Arteta wanted to see. The forward may not have maintained the impressive scoring run that marked the first two months of his career at the Etihad Stadium but he has been an integral part of the Gunners’ surge to the top of the Premier League table.
He now faces a lengthy spell out after undergoing surgery on a knee ligament injury leaving Arteta with limited forward options and it appears likely a replacement will be sought in the January transfer window. The outcome of that search could go some way towards influencing the direction of the club’s campaign.
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