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Five talking points ahead of this week's Premier League fixtures

There are a number of questions which require an answer over the course of 10 fixtures in three days.

Another full week of Premier League matches has kicked off with a high-profile managerial departure.

In addition there are a number of questions which require an answer over the course of 10 fixtures in three days.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the issues over the coming days.

Life after Lampard

Chelsea will host Wolves two days after former player Frank Lampard was sacked after 18 months in charge. Expected new boss Thomas Tuchel will find the margins are tight at Stamford Bridge as Lampard secured Champions League football and an FA Cup final in his maiden season with a reliance on youth and – despite taking seven points from the last 24 – the club are still only five points off the top four. The German's reputation for being stand-offish and his apparent disputes with authority will not matter at Chelsea providing he gets results, especially if he can use his Bundesliga experience to get compatriots Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, £125million-worth of new signings, firing again.

Bruce needs to arrest decline

Newcastle manger Steve Bruce scratches his head
Newcastle manager Steve Bruce has to find a way to arrest their decline (Adam Davy/PA)

The next manager under pressure is Steve Bruce as Newcastle have been in steady decline (as opposed to the general malaise which has enveloped the club over the last few years) since October. Their form over the last eight matches (two draws, six defeats) is the worst in the league and they have scored just four goals in that period. Even defeat combined with wins for their rivals would still not drop them into the bottom three but Bruce has to stop the rot.

City generating title momentum

Phil Foden embraces team-mate Kevin De Bruyne
Can Phil Foden fill the Kevin De Bruyne void? (Martin Rickett/PA)

Manchester City are putting together one of those ominous runs which usually leads them to a title. They have accumulated 26 points from a possible 30 since losing to Tottenham in November. They have won the last 10 matches in all competitions, with just two of those games being by a single goal. It does not bode well for struggling West Brom, who have taken just eight points from the last 10 games. A City victory on Tuesday night at The Hawthorns would put them top of the table, remarkably for the first time this season, and would be another significant message to their rivals.

Top Toffees trio hold the key

Everton's James Rodriguez, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison celebrate together
Everton trio James Rodriguez, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison hold the key to their push for the top four (Alex Livesey/PA)

Progress in the FA Cup was a welcome confidence boost for Everton and the time appears ripe to make a concerted effort to strike out for the top four, starting against third-placed Leicester who are only six points ahead. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is back among the goals after a 50-day drought, Richarlison too after only his second in 12 matches, while the key to it all may well be James Rodriguez's return to form which helped them top the table in early October. With the Colombia international pulling the strings in front of a defence which has conceded just three in six league matches and Carlo Ancelotti's vast experience, the Toffees are well placed.

Stick or twist for Klopp?

Liverpool are stuck in a quandary. Their Premier League goalscoring drought currently stands at seven hours and 18 minutes but when they did open up in Sunday's FA Cup tie at Manchester United – scoring twice – manager Jurgen Klopp admitted they forgot the defensive side of their game which has been so good (six conceded in their last 10 league matches). Spurs have scored eight in four matches since back-to-back defeats last month – one at Anfield – and victory would knock Liverpool out of the top four for the first time since October's shock 7-2 defeat at Aston Villa.

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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool14112129111835
2Chelsea1594235181731
3Arsenal1585229151429
4Manchester CityMan City158342721627
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest157441918125
6Aston Villa157442323025
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton156632522324
8Bournemouth157352320324
9Brentford157263128323
10Fulham156542220223
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1562731191220
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle155551921-220
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd155461918119
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham155372028-818
15Everton143561421-714
16Leicester CityLeicester153572130-914
17Crystal Palace152761420-613
18Ipswich TownIpswich151681427-139
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1523102338-159
20Southampton1512121131-205


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