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• The Guardian
• Thu Apr 17 2025

1 Brighton hoping for Mitoma boost

Considering the length of Brighton?s injury list, Fabian H?rzeler will be desperate to get Kaoru Mitoma back in time for Saturday?s trip to west London. The Japanese winger sustained a heel injury against Crystal Palace, ruling him out of the draw with Leicester. It was the first time he had missed a Premier League game all season after making 31 appearances. Whether he will be available against Brentford is yet to be seen but, with three teenagers on the bench last weekend, the more experience H?rzeler can name on the teamsheet the better. James Milner, Igor Julio, Georginio Rutter, Adam Webster, Ferdi Kadioglu and Tariq Lamptey are all out, while the goalkeeper Jason Steele returned to action for the under-21s this week but Carl Rushworth will remain the backup to Bart Verbruggen for now. If Mitoma can recover in time, it will be a timely boost as H?rzeler?s side fight for a European place. Will Unwin

Brentford v Brighton, Saturday 3pm (all times BST)

2 Palace need to tighten up fast

Conceding 10 goals in their past two games has extinguished Crystal Palace?s chances of gatecrashing the chase for the Champions League places, but Bournemouth?s visit to Selhurst Park is an opportunity to cut the gap to Andoni Iraola?s side to two points. ?Maybe it?s good for us getting one step back,? reflected Oliver Glasner after Newcastle?s 5-0 win on Wednesday. ?Now we?ll focus on the basics and remember what made us so strong. Now is not the time to point fingers. We?ll just look in the mirror and I?ll see what I can change a little bit.? With a trip to Arsenal in midweek before their FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa at Wembley, Palace must turn things around quickly if they are to remain in contention for Europe on two fronts. Ed Aarons

Crystal Palace v Bournemouth, Saturday 3pm

View image in fullscreen Crystal Palace have lost 5-2 and 5-0 in successive matches. Photograph: Adam Vaughan/EPA

3 Broja playing for Everton future?

Major upheaval was on the cards at Everton this summer regardless of how they finished the season, which, thanks to David Moyes?s impact, is with encouragement rather than trepidation. A staggering 13 members of the first-team squad are out of contract at the end of the campaign, including loanees, and Abdoulaye Doucour??s celebration after scoring the late winner at Nottingham Forest demonstrated renewal talks have not exactly been gathering pace. There is no reason for further delay with the club 13th in the table and 17 points clear of third-bottom Ipswich with six games to play. Moyes?s decision to start Armando Broja over Beto or Youssef Chermiti at Forest reflected a desire to see the Albania international in competitive action as he assesses all options. Everton can make Broja?s loan move from Chelsea permanent for ?30m this summer. His injury record suggests that will be a non-starter but his ability, coupled with Dominic Calvert-Lewin?s likely departure, could make a cheaper bid worth considering should he get another chance to impress against Manchester City and take it. Andy Hunter

Everton v Manchester City, Saturday 3pm

4 Ferguson floundering at West Ham

Evan Ferguson?s move to West Ham has not gone to plan. The striker has made one start since joining on loan from Brighton in January and has been an unused substitute since coming off at half-time against Wolves earlier this month. Graham Potter, who knew Ferguson well before bringing him to east London, seems to have given up on the 20-year-old. Niclas F?llkrug is above Ferguson in the pecking order and has done well as a substitute in his previous three appearances. It could be another long afternoon watching from the sidelines for Ferguson when Southampton visit the London Stadium. The Republic of Ireland forward may spy an opportunity against the worst team in the league, but will Potter be willing to give enough minutes to a player who has not looked sharp enough during his brief cameos in claret and blue? Jacob Steinberg

West Ham v Southampton, Saturday 3pm

View image in fullscreen Evan Ferguson (left) attempts to shield the ball from Wolves? Emmanuel Agbadou during his last outing for West Ham. Photograph: Jaimi Joy/Reuters

5 Villa have to refocus after midweek drama

After an intoxicating Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain in midweek, Aston Villa switch their focus to domestic duties. How much did running PSG so close drain Villa? Unai Emery has always maintained the league is his priority as it provides the pathway to Europe?s elite competition. Marcus Rashford enjoyed his best performance in a Villa shirt but Ollie Watkins, one goal shy of Gabby Agbonlahor?s goalscoring record (74) in the top flight, could return to the starting lineup after being reduced to a substitute role in four of Villa?s past five matches. Newcastle will arrive in Birmingham fresh from a thumping victory over Crystal Palace which extended their winning streak to six matches, while Villa have won nine of their past 10 games in all competitions. There is plenty at stake as two form teams, both of whom have designs on Champions League football next season, collide. Ben Fisher

Aston Villa v Newcastle, Saturday 5.30pm

6 Fulham look to write derby history

Win, loss, win, loss, win, loss, win, loss, win, loss: so goes Fulham?s form in their past eight league games. They are nothing if not reliably unreliable and, given their recent record, they will presumably go into this weekend?s west London derby with Chelsea full of belief after defeat to Bournemouth last Monday. Chelsea have not won an away game in the league since December, a major complication in their quest for Champions League qualification, and their fans look ready to turn on Enzo Maresca. Fulham, who have already take points off Arsenal, Liverpool and Forest at home this season, could deepen the gloom. Yet history is not on their side. Fulham won at Stamford Bridge in December but have never done a league double over their wealthier neighbours. Expectations around Marco Silva?s side are high, but can they hold their nerve and boost their push for European football? JS

Fulham v Chelsea, Sunday 2pm

7 Can Hirst step up in Delap-less future?

All the talk has been about Liam Delap?s future at Ipswich as he enters his final six games for the club. The striker will cost someone ?30m in the summer and there is absolutely no chance he will stay to spearhead Ipswich?s attempt at returning to the top flight. This will leave a gap at the top of the pitch. George Hirst started in the draw at Stamford Bridge last Sunday as Delap nursed a rib injury. The Scotland international was part of the team that took a two-goal lead against Chelsea, proving his worth as the understudy. He has four goals in 23 appearances but has mainly appeared off the bench under Kieran McKenna. Hirst would love the opportunity to show he can replace Delap in the long term and be a regular scorer. All he needs is a few more chances, but it would be a bold decision to start him against Arsenal. WU

Ipswich v Arsenal, Sunday 2pm

View image in fullscreen George Hirst may go down with Ipswich but could he help them find a way back up? Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters

8 United face hard truths against Wolves

Surely no one would have wagered on Manchester United welcoming Wolves in mid-April only two points better off, with 38, than their visitors, and two places higher in 14th. But this is where Ruben Amorim?s insipid gang of flatliners find themselves as they trudge through the club?s poorest ever Premier League campaign. They can only realistically hope to end up 11th, where Brentford sit on 43 points, as even a top-half finish seems improbable with Brighton 10th on 48 points, 10 ahead with 18 left to play for. Next season has to be better or Amorim will be history. Jamie Jackson

Manchester United v Wolves, Sunday 2pm

9 Youth get a chance in Foxes? dead rubbers

Ruud van Nistelrooy knows the gig is up at Leicester. They are whimpering their way to the Championship but he is at least using the long list of dead rubbers to give academy products a Premier League debut. Jeremy Monga and Jake Evans have come off the bench in recent weeks for a taste of life at the top and the next potential debutant is Olabade Aluko. The 18-year-old defender has progressed through the ranks at the King Power Stadium after joining at 15. Aluko, who can play right-back or centre-back, was named on the bench at Brighton but was an unused substitute, instead witnessing Evans take his bow. Two appearances in the EFL Trophy, against Northampton and Notts County, have given him a taste of senior football but playing against the Premier League champions elect would be one to remember. WU

Leicester v Liverpool, Sunday 4.30pm

View image in fullscreen Jeremy Monga (second left), aged 15, was given his Leicester chance by Ruud van Nistelrooy. Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Action Images/Reuters

10 Wood waiting to get back to his best

The good news for Nottingham Forest is that Chris Wood was back on the pitch last weekend against Everton. The bad news is that they lost and the New Zealand international did not look up to speed after his hip problem. Nuno Esp?rito Santo needs his striker firing if Forest are to maintain their push for a Champions League spot. Playing on Monday night will provide Wood with longer to fully recover from the problem picked up last month when playing for the All Whites, and any New Zealander will want to get one over on an Australian. His 18 league goals are a key reason why Forest find themselves in the Champions League places but, after two straight defeats, they need to turn things around to avoid all the hard work going to waste. WU