5 things to watch out for in the Premier League this weekend
The final set of international fixtures of the year have culminated now and we are ever so close to the return of the Premier League this weekend.
After FIFA’s reconstruction on the model according to which these fixtures are to be played, 11 round of league fixtures have been played so far with a total of 3 international breaks sandwiched between them during the months of August, September and November.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City are currently setting the pace for their rivals in the league with an eight-point lead over second-placed Manchester United, thanks to their convincing 3-1 win over Arsenal at home.
However, due to the sheer unpredictability and fierce competition among the top clubs along with the busy festive period that is yet to come, Guardiola will know that no lead at this stage is unassailable and nothing can be taken for granted.
Game week 12 promises to be an exciting affair and will have serious implications at both ends of the table. Here we take a look at 5 things to watch out for as the world’s most entertaining league returns to action this weekend:
#5 The return of David Moyes
After West Ham’s 4-1 drubbing at home to Liverpool last week, Slaven Bilic, who was under immense pressure after the Hammers’ lacklustre start to the season was removed of his duties as the manager of the club.
The East-London club wasted no time in finding a replacement and David Moyes was appointed as the man in charge at the helm to steer them away from the possibility of relegation.
Moyes is no stranger to the Premier League and his best days came when he was in charge of Everton where his side punched above their weight so often that he was chosen as the replacement for Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.
However, things did not go according to plan at Old Trafford and he was sacked 10 months into the job. Subsequent spells at Real Sociedad in La Liga and Sunderland in England followed, but none of them were fruitful.
The Hammers have been the leakiest defence so far in the league and have conceded 23 goals, highest in the league, and are currently 18th in the table. Moyes will have his work cut out starting on Sunday when they travel to Vicarage road to face Marcos Silva’s high-flying Watford.
Maybe there is still time for the ‘chosen one’ to turn things around at the London Stadium.