Ten KEY questions for Matchweek 6's fixtures

Is Man Utd v Spurs a bigger game for Carrick or De Zerbi?

Old Trafford hosts a game of huge significance for two clubs who are struggling to hit the heights expected of them in pre-season. In fact it’s difficult to separate the two. Head coaches Michael Carrick and Roberto De Zerbi can both claim to need the win more than the other.

Certainly defeat for either team plunges them into unwanted territory. Tottenham Hotspur finally ended their goal drought in their 3-2 loss at home to Aston Villa prior to the international break but on Saturday they could fail to win any of their opening six games of a league campaign for just the fourth time in their history - and first since 2008/09.

That is not the revolution De Zerbi was hoping to oversee this season, nor is it a good omen for a club that have finished 17th in each of the last two seasons.

Meanwhile, Man Utd’s five points from five games is their joint-worst return at this stage in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, after Louis van Gaal got the same record in 2014/15. Van Gaal won his sixth match.

The pressure these statistics exert on both clubs is only increased by the timing of the fixture. Three weeks is a long break. Fans are desperate to see improvement, but if they are left with the impression that nothing has changed it could be a crushing afternoon.

Can Iraola kickstart Liverpool era with a win against Man City?

The Andoni Iraola era has got off to a strangely subdued start, neither bad nor good.

Case in point, a draw on Sunday would achieve two things simultaneously: Liverpool failing to win each of their first three league matches of a campaign at Anfield for just the third time in their history, and Iraola becoming only the third permanent Liverpool manager to avoid defeat in each of his first six top-flight matches after Bob Paisley in 1974 and Joe Fagan in 1983.

No doubt there are green shoots. Tactically, the team are beginning to adapt to Iraola’s ideas of ultra-hard pressing and direct football: they sit third in the division for Passes Per Defensive Action (PPDA), a measure of a team's pressing intensity.

Beating Manchester City at Anfield would certainly be that launch pad, announcing the beginning of the new era and, after an indifferent start, catapulting Liverpool to within just three points of the top of the table.

Iraola is often compared to Jurgen Klopp in terms of his heavy-metal football. But to emulate Klopp, Iraola needs his players to rise to the occasion in the big games, put on a show, and connect emotionally with the Anfield crowd.

Sunday’s game presents the perfect opportunity to do just that.

Will Arsenal move on from Brighton loss – or are stubborn Leeds a problem?

Arsenal’s shock 3-0 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion sent them crashing back down to earth. Having had three weeks to stew on the result, fans will be desperate to see a reaction from the Gunners in Saturday's early kick-off.

They will feel confident of getting it. For starters, Arsenal’s only league defeats last season were against clubs who went on to finish in the top six (something high-flying Brighton are certainly capable of), plus Mikel Arteta’s side only once lost consecutive Premier League matches and one of those was against Man City.

In other words, historically Arsenal are very good at bouncing back. What’s more, they have won nine of their last 10 Premier League games against Leeds United (D1), including each of the last seven by an aggregate score of 24-5.

Nevertheless Leeds are no pushovers. They are unbeaten this season thanks to a bullish approach that could push the hosts into hesitant football if the Brighton result still lingers in the memory.

Arsenal have recorded the most direct attacks in the Premier League so far this season, with 13, while Leeds have faced the fewest direct attacks, with four. That statistical mismatch captures Leeds’ defensive stubbornness.

The Gunners won’t have it all their own way but they need a victory, by any means necessary, if they are to consign the Brighton defeat to history.

Should Aston Villa adopt a more direct style against Brentford?

Unai Emery has a Keith Andrews problem.

Last season Brentford beat Villa 1-0 home and away and the two matches were remarkably similar. Brentford sat off, forcing Villa into aimless sideways possession, and then Dango Outtarra scored on the counter-attack.

It was a simple strategy that capitalised on a tactical deficiency of Villa’s. Emery tries to bait the opponent into pressing onto his players, before threading passes through the lines, but, as Andrews realised, Villa can become static when the other team refuses to push on.

Last season, Villa’s win ratio was 35% when holding above 50% possession and 62.5% when holding below 50% possession. That explains why Brentford held 24% and 28% of the ball in the two league games against Villa. The pattern of Saturday’s game should be easy to predict, then.

If Emery is to overcome the problem he will need a new solution. One option is to use goalkeeper Zion Suzuki’s long passing range to push beyond Brentford and prevent Villa from getting stuck in short passes around the back.

Another, linked to Suzuki’s distribution, is getting Johan Manzambi and Nicolas Jackson running at the Brentford back four. These two combined brilliantly in the 3-2 win over Spurs, and if Villa are quick to capitalise on any fast-break opportunities – countering back the other way whenever a Brentford counter breaks down – they can open up this contest.

Villa have recorded the fewest shots (48), shots on target (12), touches in the opposition box (81), and Expected Goals (xG) of 4.6 in the Premier League this season. Playing fast-paced football, and finding space for their forwards, has not been easy so far. Brentford could make it another long and difficult day for the hosts.

Can Chelsea end winless run against Bournemouth?

It’s been a rather strange start to Premier League life for manager Xabi Alonso. The major tactical overhaul was always going to have teething troubles but few would have predicted that his Chelsea would concede more goals (12) in the opening five rounds than anyone else.

More significant still is that Chelsea’s form has been moving in the wrong direction. They have failed to win any of their last three Premier League matches, culminating in a heavy 3-0 defeat to Brentford before the international break.

Alonso could do with a reset. A win could leave them within five points of the top of the table, but anything less would hit hard, especially considering opponents AFC Bournemouth are yet to win a Premier League game under Marco Rose.

Is Newcastle clash Coventry’s biggest game of the season?

Without meaning to sound overly dramatic, Frank Lampard might be facing the biggest game of his season on Monday night.

Coventry City had zero points and zero goals after four rounds. They had lost their first two home games of the season by an aggregate score of 6-0. Frankly, things were looking bleak – until the 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest just before the international break got the heart pumping again.

It is vitally important Coventry build on that victory and give their supporters something to cheer on home soil. Momentum is crucial for promoted clubs – as is home form - and the spectre of relegation only looms larger now that Hull City and Ipswich Town have made such strong starts to the campaign.

Coventry would receive an enormous boost if they can beat Newcastle United, completely flipping the narrative of their start to life back in the top flight.

One thing’s for sure, it should be a good game. Newcastle (97) and Coventry (87) have faced more shots than any other sides in the Premier League this season.

Will Hull rediscover winning formula against Everton?

There is, of course, nothing for Hull supporters to be worried about. They could not have dreamed of making such a fast start, nor would they have expected to see two clean sheets from the first two home games.

But, in the background, there may be a little bit of anxiety building. Hull have now gone three Premier League games without a victory and although one of those was a brilliant 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge the defeats at Sunderland and Newcastle raise fears their explosive beginning won’t last.

Hull need to prove they are no flash in the pan, and yet the margins are always fine when playing defensive and percentage football as they do: Hull rank 20th for possession (32.3%) and passing accuracy (72.4%). Are positive results sustainable with so little of the ball?

The visit of Everton will tell us whether Hull are willing and able to play more progressively against lower-ranking opposition. It will also tell us whether Hull can maintain their early-season fight - and keep winning matches.

Can Palace earn first home win under Sage against Glasner's Forest?

It’s been a tough start for Pierre Sage. He always had a difficult task replacing Oliver Glasner, who returns to Selhurst Park for the first time since leaving the club where he won the FA Cup, UEFA Conference League and Community Shield.

If Palace fans are to fall for Sage in a similar way, the new Crystal Palace head coach will need to start winning home games soon.

Palace have lost both of their Premier League matches at Selhurst Park this season. Only three times before have they ever lost their opening three.

It will be all the more painful for the Eagles if defeat is inflicted by Glasner.

Can Ipswich continue fast start against winless Fulham?

Fulham are winless from their first five matches under head coach Alvaro Arbeloa and find themselves mired in the bottom three. A victory would do them wonders.

Certainly an Ipswich win would leave Fulham in a tricky spot, especially because it would practically confirm that Ipswich are going to earn considerably more points than the last time they were in the top flight two seasons ago when they accrued 22.

A win on Saturday would mean three victories from six, their best return at this stage of a Premier League season since 1993/94.

As for Fulham, they will be optimistic about turning a corner. Arbeloa’s side face all three promoted clubs in the next three rounds.

Will Brighton maintain their pre-international break momentum against Sunderland?

Brighton are the league’s top scorers with 16 goals and by beating Arsenal 3-0 announced their Champions League potential. The international break could hardly have come at a worse time for them.

Their visit to Sunderland will tell us whether Fabian Hurzeler is able to keep up that momentum and whether their form was the sign of a newly-improved Brighton - or just a purple patch.

The result on Saturday could even dictate Hurzeler’s strategy for the rest of the season. Juggling the Premier League with the Conference League was always going to be a challenge, presenting the temptation to rotate heavily for the league phase in Europe.

A better-than-expected start to the 2026/27 Premier League season could convince the Brighton head coach to prioritise domestic competition.