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Both teams to find the net at Molineux
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Why getting Everton on-side isn't a complete surprise
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Arsenal remain top of the tree
Podence counters to pause Lopetegui revolution
Wolves v Man Utd
Saturday, 12:30
Live on BT Sport 1
Wolverhampton Wanderers will soon become a more conservative possession-based team, with the aim to recycle possession as a form of control that should bring back their defensive solidity - and exacerbate their creativity issues. But the visit of Manchester United puts that on hold, because the sensible thing to do is embrace the counter-attacking instincts of the players against Erik ten Hag's system.
Man Utd are very difficult to compete with in central midfield these days, and that virtually guarantees control of the contest for Casemiro and Christian Eriksen.
However, as Wolves shuffle across in their 4-3-3 they will find moments to pounce forward via Daniel Podence, who scored in the win at Everton last weekend and is the key creator while Pedro Neto is injured.
His direct opponent is Aaron Wan-Bissaka, whose confidence is low after losing his place to the injued Diogo Dalot, and their head-to-head could easily go in Podence's favour - especially with Adama Traore likely to come off the bench to increase Wolves' counter-attacking speed in the second half.
However, with Wolves consistently looking ill-equipped to defend their own penalty box, United should still have enough firepower to cope.
Back BTTS at 4/5
Lampard to revel in territorial retreat
Man City v Everton
Saturday, 15:00
Everton are comfortably the worst-coached team in the Premier League but counter-intuitively that does not make this an easy match for Manchester City.
As an emergency measure, Frank Lampard has found a way to hunker down, sitting his team in a very deep formation to absorb pressure before letting Demarai Gray and Anthony Gordon improvise on the counter-attack.
It is precisely how to beat Man City this season. Without the directness of a Raheem Sterling, and with number eights Kevin de Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan forced much higher to get close to the static Erling Haaland, Man City are slow and ponderous in 2022/23 when faced with an ultra-defensive opponent.
Brentford's 2-1 win before the break showed why parking the bus - once a huge mistake against Guardiola teams - is now a viable option, because there isn't enough speed or verticality in the Man City side to pick the lock.
Everton won't do much at the other end but they won't have to: heroic last-ditch defenders like Conor Coady and James Tarkowski will be able to crowd out Haaland. A 0-0 is definitely on the cards.
Back double chance Everton/draw at 5/1
Arsenal to weave through kamikaze Brighton
Brighton v Arsenal
Saturday, 17:30
Live on Sky Sports Premier League
Roberto De Zerbi's Brighton have been very entertaining so far, averaging 3.3 goals per Premier League game, mainly thanks to his zealous high-pressing game and the ferocity of his team's possession.
Every game seems to descend into an end-to-end farce, for spells at least, and his philosophy does not change when facing the big teams.
Arsenal are well-equipped to outmanoeuvre the hosts, just as Man City were in a 3-1 win. When Brighton pass out from the back Arsenal's own immaculate pressing game should be able to pinch the ball in dangerous areas, as we saw from Aston Villa in their win before the World Cup, but more importantly Arsenal will be ruthless in the transition - catching all those Brighton players too high up the pitch.
Instead of De Bruyne and Haaland bursting into open grass it will be Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, and Eddie Nketiah, most likely with the same result. Mikel Arteta knows how to crank up the directness of his team when necessary, and with such an assured midfield at moving the ball under heavy pressure, Arsenal have the composure to cope with wild Brighton tactics and exploit its flaws.
Back Arsenal to win at 11/10
Villa & Spurs flaws could lead to carnage
Tottenham v Aston Villa
Sunday, 14:00
Live on Sky Sports Premier League
Aston Villa's 3-1 defeat to Liverpool was arguably more open and entertaining than their famous 7-2 win at Villa Park in 2020, reflecting the carnage engulfing Jurgen Klopp's 4-2-4 but also the lack of match sharpness in Unai Emery's team.
Villa like to break fast and in large numbers, starting from a low block 4-4-2, but on Boxing Day they were very ropey at the defensive side of things.
This is very similar to what's happening at Tottenham, where Antonio Conte similarly wants to coach highly-structured quick counters from a low starting position, and is similarly finding his ideas undermined by a defence that just isn't organised enough.
On the one hand, this might mean a dull game on Sunday as two teams who don't want possession and territory spar from a distance...
But more likely it means swarms of attacks for both teams, as in Villa's loss to Liverpool. Villa's front four will drive behind Conte's defence, only to find this pulls them out of position for when Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son go the other way; it will be the game of the weekend with plenty of goals.
Back over 2.5 goals at 3/4