Premier League, Championship and FA Cup: 10 Things to Watch | Soccer

1) Another difficult mission for Solskjær

After a win at Arsenal and Chelsea in previous rounds, Manchester United face another tough game away, this time in Molineux. A Saturday night duel in the spotlight, with a Wembley appearance to win, is sure to generate a noisy atmosphere. This will give an extra boost to a team of wolves who has had a great season so far and has been particularly strong against the top six teams. Ole Gunnar Solskjær is aware of this and how the Wolves chained Chelsea for long periods last weekend, but he could take a cautious approach and try to get through counter-attacks. This has the appearance of a tight match and a showdown that could go up to a late night shootout. PD

2) Pickford needs performance

After being hailed for his mental toughness as England's first-choice World Cup goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford seems to have collapsed somewhat this season. Erratic parries for Everton did not help Marco Silva form an established defense unit. Pickford's blunt attack to grab a cross and then a rugby tackle on Salomón Rondón, to concede a penalty kick he then missed, set the tone, the Toffees managed to lose 3-2 after leading 2-0. in Newcastle. The former Sunderland goalkeeper also dropped a shot from Ayoze Pérez that led to a goal and got caught up in arguments with local fans. Its distribution – perhaps its greatest strength – has also suffered from a thorny spot since its flagrant mistake at Anfield in December. His status as No. 1 English being studied, he would be interested in returning to the base. Pickford dominated the 0-0 draw at Chelsea in November; a repeated performance on Sunday could help calm his nervousness. GB

3) Scores to be installed at Vicarage Road

Watford twice defeated Crystal Palace in the league this season, but Palace dominated the biggest games of the decade – the 2013 championship playoff final and the FA Cup semifinal three years later. The time has come for Watford to correct this problem: for more than three months, the team of Javi Gracia has not lost to the top six teams and must have an idea of ​​his chances to finish seventh this season. But more important than the price of the best of the rest is the chance for a talented team to claim a real trophy. They can and should make the FA Cup a priority now. The pedigree of Palace & # 39; s Cup is not to be sniffed, neither is the rivalry between these two camps, fueled not only by the clashes of Wembley, but also by the recent beef between individuals, illustrated by the confession of Troy Deeney that Watford players took turns to foul Wilfried Zaha during the match. their victory over Palace in September. While Roy Hodgson's players are still looking nervously over their shoulders in the league, they should be motivated for this match and we can expect a spicy encounter. TD

4) Parker has little hope of breaking the defeats

Fulham was supposed to have managed a magnificent blow by recruiting Jean Michaël Seri in Nice in summer. Now the player once wooed by Barcelona can not enter Fulham midfielder in front of Calum Chambers. This shows how much of Fulham's transfer activities have been unsuccessful since their promotion. Since replacing Claudio Ranieri, Scott Parker has tended to prefer the players who helped the club win the championship promotion, but there has been little improvement. The team continued to look out of its depth in the high end and returned to its place of origin. Their best hope of avoiding a seventh consecutive loss this weekend is that their opponents, Liverpool, are tired or complacent. But it is much more likely that Jürgen Klopp's team is invigorated by Wednesday's victory at Bayern Munich and the prospect of returning to the top of the standings. PD

5) Swans rely on advice from Newport citizens

Manchester City scored 16 goals and conceded only one goal in three German Cup games, beating Rotherham 7-0, Burnley 5-0 and Newport 4-1. Newport, the only club in fourth place, who held them to 0-0 for 51 minutes, caused a discomfort to City. Padraig Amond's 88th-minute attack gave them a bit of hope when he raised the score to 2-1, at the only opportunity for City to ruthlessly exploit defenses in the opposing defense. while he was leading in the last minutes. Swans manager Graham Potter said he would talk to his Newport counterpart, Michael Flynn, before visiting Pep Guardiola's creepy team, who would ask him how to stay in the game. "I have his number … I'm going to call him," he says. "His manner and his players are different from ours, and I'm not saying that we are better. [Manchester City] are and knowing what they can do is the relatively simple bit. It's about finding a way to stop the problem. But I thought Newport was brilliant. " GB

6) Millwall and Brighton put aside the worries of the league

The Sunday quarterfinals at The Den seem, at least on paper, the most obvious place for an FA Cup. Millwall has beaten five of the last seven high-flying teams to visit him in this competition, and faces a team from Brighton who are often poor travelers. Since they defeated Everton in the fourth round, Millwall has not won a home win, but is counting on his victories out in Derby and Birmingham to stay out of the last three of Championship. The exploits of the England Cup have also distracted the league's enthusiasm for Brighton, although the victory at Crystal Palace has improved their chances of survival and their record abroad – now three healthy wins out of six , Cup race included. Successes at Selhurst Park have also eased fears of a repeat of 1983 – when the Seagulls took Manchester United to the finals, but were relegated. NMcV

7) McNeil and Hendrick to help Clarets create

Burnley's defeat at Anfield left them suspended at two points over the relegation zone. They lost three straight games in the championship, canceling the good work they did without being beaten in the championship from late December to late February. They are hosting Leicester this weekend, a team that has seemed fluid and tactically flexible – everything Burnley does not do – since Brendan Rodgers took office. Sean Dyche's team has become too predictable in his last three games, hitting easy-to-read balls in the cbads and relying heavily on stopped plays to create opportunities. As Cardiff does not play this weekend and will then face Chelsea and Manchester City, Burnley has a chance to free himself from danger. To do this, they will have to relax and try to be more creative. Jack Cork and Ashley Westwood are apt to break the game, but Burnley must use the ball better in home games. Dwight McNeil's bold wingplay caught the attention of Anfield, and Jeff Hendrick was also a pesky threat – maybe Dyche should turn to flanks to blossom. GB

8) More telepathy of Rondón and Pérez?

Like short films, rattles and happy fans wearing rosettes, strike partnerships seem to belong to the past of English football. That's why it's a retro joy to see Salomón Rondón and Ayoze Pérez hitting one in full swing in recent months. It took time to get there, but the near-telepathy shown by the two men when Newcastle was put to rest from danger contributed to the creation of both attractive and important goals. Rondón's volley against Everton came after a lavish game, Pérez bouncing his head to greet his biggest teammate, getting a pbad back and plunging a delightful ball on Rondón's path to return home on the fly. . "If Messi did that, people would talk about it for a while," said Rafa Benítez. "[Rondón] I gave the ball and, without looking, I knew the movement that he was going to do, "Pérez said. These are the new Toshack and Keegan. Bournemouth, beware. GB

Photo: Chesnot / Getty Images Europe

9) Hammer fans need reason to pay

The announcement of a ticket price increase before (theoretically) their easiest home match of the season could be seen as a clever West Ham plan. The last time the Hammers were swept by Cardiff and the almost certain Huddersfield relegation means they could be the cannon fodder that the London Stadium marketing department needs. Home form is imperative at this point of the season after five losses in their last six away games. The increase in the price of the ticket could result in a demand for a product more exciting than the current offer, which has scored only eight goals in nine league games, including two in open match. Given the range of offensive talents available to Manuel Pellegrini, fans and the hierarchy may hope for something a little more expansive this weekend to be chopper. The club at the bottom of the league seems to be the ideal target. WU

10) Hernández and Norwood may participate in the promotion

The biggest game of the weekend could be Elland Road, where Leeds and Sheffield United meet in a crucial derby. Both parties are engaged in a three-way battle for automatic promotion with Norwich executives. Leeds holds a two-point lead over local rivals, dating back to Pablo Hernández's winner at Bramall Lane in December. The Spanish mercurial has found consistency in his team's promotional burden, scoring 10 goals and 11 goals, and impressing Bielsa with his ability to influence the right side. Hernández can bring a first-rate experience, but Chris Wilder has his own trump to Oliver Norwood. The midfielder is running for a third consecutive promotion after helping Brighton and Fulham get up. Almost always present since arriving in August, Norwood has eight badists and the best pbading statistics in the championship. He and Hernández both deserve a first-line chance, but only one can get it. NMcV