Premiership sides are ready for the challenge once again of Premiership football, but the distraction of the Carling Cup and the early season form of some sides has raised a few issues that may well be given a little more clarity by the end of Monday nights Norwich Sunderland encounter.
Here are three issues to keep an eye on over week six of the Barclays Premier League.
The Return of the Three Musketeers.
Ok, so they don’t all play at the same club, nor are they in any way French, but this week’s Carling Cup action saw the return of three footballers who have been on the sideline for a long time.
Stuart Holden has been out injured for Bolton Wanderers since March 19th 2011 after a horrific clash with Manchester United’s Johnny Evans. Holden’s recovery has been a long and painful process but after six months out of football the American international finally reappeared in mid-week to play the full 90 minutes against Aston Villa in the League Cup.
Owen Hargreaves was another comeback kid this week thanks to the Carling Cup. After being let go by Manchester United this summer Hargreaves, who hadn’t played a minute off football since November 2010, was snapped up on a free transfer by Manchester City’s sharp-eyed manager Roberto Mancini.
His debut this week not only produced 57 minutes of football for the former England international but also a magnificent goal that may well earn him a spot on the bench this weekend against Everton.
Finally England’s little big man Michael Owen made a triumphant return to football earning himself his first start of the season against Leeds United on Tuesday night. Owen, who signed a one year deal with Manchester United this summer, hasn’t seen consistent football since he joined the Red Devils and has come under scrutiny from pundits and fans alike for not moving to a smaller club to get regular first team action.
But after scoring two goals in the week Ferguson may feel his ageing striker deserves a place on the subs bench, at least, this weekend against Stoke.
Holden is the most likely to start out of the trio of comeback kids but look for Owen and Hargreaves to try and cement their returns to football should the opportunity arise.
The New Kids On The Block
Swansea, QPR and Norwich were all able to pick up three points last weekend. QPR put three past Wolves, Swansea matched that with a 3-0 win at home to West Brom, while Norwich squeezed past Bolton with a 2-1 win.
So the big test for the new boys this week keep up the winning streak. So who will be the first of the newly promoted sides to grab two wins on the trot?
QPR meet Aston Villa at home, Norwich face a stubborn Sunderland side while Swansea have a trip to London to meet Chelsea.
My money’s on QPR.
Who Going To Change That Form Table
The Premier League is beginning to take shape at the top with United, Man City and Chelsea all making great starts to their season.
But who at the bottom is looking out of place right now. The bottom five consists, at the moment, of Blackburn, Arsenal, West Brom, Fulham and Bolton. Yet four of these sides wouldn’t have been considered for relegation when the season started five games ago. Yes it’s early but there’s no better time to seek security then at the beginning of the year and Arsenal Fulham West Brom and Bolton all need to get their scoring boots on this week to pull themselves out of their early season slumps.
Blackburn were expected to see a long hard season and it wouldn’t surprise me if they were close to the relegation battle in the closing weeks of the campaign but who will be join them.
This weekend is time for things to take shape and set a tone for the next few months leading into the January transfer window.
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