PREMIER LEAGUE ULTIMATE WEEKEND GUIDE: Our experts tell you the team news, injury updates and players to watch, plus key stats and predictions

The Premier League is finally back today following the final international break of the year, and there won’t be another until March.

We pick up where we left off a fortnight ago, with Liverpool top of the table by an impressive five points after 11 games played, and Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal in the chasing pack.

But things have changed elsewhere. Ruben Amorim is now in charge of Manchester United, and will lead his side out for the first time on Sunday afternoon when the Red Devils take on Ipswich at Portman Road.

All eyes are on Amorim and his side, but Ipswich themselves will be on the hunt for points to help their chances of survival at the other end of the table.

Elsewhere, fellow strugglers Southampton host Liverpool, Wolves travel to Fulham and Crystal Palace will face Aston Villa at Villa Park.

Here, we tell you everything you need to know about the weekend’s action, including the latest injury updates and team news, the players you need to look out for and something all of our experts are looking forward to at the games they will be reporting from.

Chelsea and Arsenal are among those chasing the Reds at the top of the Premier League table

Ruben Amorim, meanwhile, will take charge of Manchester United for the first time on Sunday

SATURDAY

12.30pm: LEICESTER v CHELSEA

King Power Stadium. Referee: Andy Madley.

TV/radio: Live on TNT Sports and talkSPORT. Highlights: Match of the Day, BBC One 10.30pm.

Our expert’s view: Grab the popcorn, settle back and take it all in as Enzo Maresca walks to the away dugout for the first time since leaving Leicester for Chelsea last June. Despite delivering promotion, the Italian had a fractious relationship with Foxes fans, which has hardly improved since he jumped ship. They don’t love his successor Steve Cooper either but at least they’ll be on his side this time – for as long as Leicester stay in the game, of course. TOM COLLOMOSSE

Players to watch: Leicester – Harry Winks. With plenty of Premier League experience in his locker, Winks needs to be one of the Foxes’ key men if they are to survive this season. He has played well in patches but has far more to offer in the heart of midfield. He has the intelligence and vision to keep Leicester moving and if Winks can influence the pace of the game, Leicester’s chances of winning increase.

Chelsea – Noni Madueke. Foxes supporters may remember Madueke as a raw winger in the PSV Eindhoven side who were beaten over two legs by Brendan Rodgers’ team in the Europa Conference League three seasons ago. He has progressed a great deal since then and is now one of the most dangerous attackers in the league – bad news for Leicester’s fragile defence.

Leicester injury news: Out ‑ A Fatawu (knee), R Pereira (thigh), J Stolarczyk (ankle), F Buonanotte (ban). Doubts – B De Cordova-Reid (achilles), J Ayew (knee), J Vardy (back).

Chelsea injury news: Out – R James (hamstring).

Mail Sport prediction: Draw.

3pm: ARSENAL v NOTTINGHAM FOREST

Emirates Stadium. Referee: Simon Hooper.

TV/radio: Live on BBC 5 Live. Highlights: Match of the Day, BBC One 10.30pm.

Our expert’s view: The last time Arsenal won a league fixture was a 3-1 victory over Southampton on October 5, which is hard to believe. Over a month has passed since then, featuring two draws and two losses in this competition. Their title aspirations mean anything other than three points would be a real problem, even at this relatively early stage. ISAAN KHAN

Players to watch: Arsenal – Riccardo Calafiori. The Italian has been out with an injured knee since October 22, and his expected return this weekend is crucial in light of the news that Ben White will be out for months after a knee operation. 

Nottingham Forest – Chris Wood. The New Zealand-born striker has been in outrageous form, striking five goals in his last five Premier League matches. Continuing his goalscoring streak against the Gunners will be a real challenge — but, on recent evidence, Wood has every chance.

Arsenal injury news: Out – B White (knee), K Tierney (thigh), T Tomiyasu (knee). Doubt – L Trossard (knock).

Nottingham Forest injury news: Out – I Sangare (thigh), Danilo (ankle). Doubt – E Anderson (foot).

Mail Sport prediction: Arsenal win.

3pm: ASTON VILLA v CRYSTAL PALACE

Villa Park. Referee: Tim Robinson.

Highlights: Match of the Day, BBC One 10.30pm.

Our expert’s view: Villa have lost their last two in the Premier League and have just one win in their last six so nothing less than three points will do for Unai Emery’s side. It’s a minor blip for now but I’m looking forward to seeing if they can return to the standards they’ve set under the Spaniard. AADAM PATEL

Players to watch: Aston Villa – Morgan Rogers. He has been integral to so much of Villa’s play this season.

Crystal Palace – Jean Philippe Mateta. The scorer of a hat-trick against Villa last season.

Aston Villa injury news: Out – E Konsa (hip), A Onana (foot), J Ramsey (hamstring), B Kamara (undisclosed). Doubt – I Maatsen (knock), P Torres (muscle).

Crystal Palace injury news: Out – C Riad (knee), A Wharton, M Franca (both groin), E Eze, E Nketiah (both hamstring), D Kamada (ban).

Mail Sport prediction: Aston Villa win.

3pm: BOURNEMOUTH v BRIGHTON

Vitality Stadium. Referee: Stuart Attwell.

Highlights: Match of the Day, BBC One 10.30pm.

Our expert’s view: Bournemouth were the width of a crossbar away from a 97th-minute equaliser against Brentford in a pulsating 3-2 defeat, while The Seagulls could scarcely be flying higher after a stunning win over Manchester City last time out. Both sides favour a relentless, intense pressing style, and have remarkably similar form (3W, 2L, 1D) and stats coming into the clash. DOMINIC HOGAN

Players to watch: Bournemouth – Evanilson: The Brazilian striker could become the first Cherries star to net in four straight league games since Callum Wilson in 2019, after some brilliant composure and anticipation for his third on the bounce against Brentford last time out.

Brighton – Joao Pedro: Own goals aside, Brighton are the only side to hit double figures for goalscorers this term (11), but few are in as rich form as Joao Pedro who has four goals and two assists in his last eight league games.

Bournemouth injury news: Out – A Scott (knee), L Sinisterra, J Araujo (both hamstring), R Christie (ban).

Brighton injury news: Out – J Milner (thigh), S March (knee). Doubt – J Hinshelwood (knee), L Dunk, T Lamptey (both calf), A Webster (thigh), Y Ayari (ankle), F Kadioglu (toe).

Mail Sport prediction: Draw.

3pm: EVERTON v BRENTFORD

Goodison Park. Referee: Chris Kavanagh.

Highlights: Match of the Day, BBC One 10.30pm.

Our expert’s view: Goodison goers won’t know whether to pack for a thriller or take a snoozing pillow. Brentford’s last five matches have produced 26 goals, Everton’s five. Though the Bees are six points better off in the table, they’ve not won away while Sean Dyche’s team are unbeaten at home since August. JOE BERNSTEIN

Players to watch: Everton – Ashley Young. At 39, Young is having a remarkable renaissance and already set up three goals this season as a buccaneering right back.

Brentford – Bryan Mbeumo. The fit-again Cameroon forward has been linked with Liverpool so what better way to impress than destroying the blue half of Merseyside?

Everton injury news: Out – Iroegbunam (ankle), Chermiti (ankle), Broja (calf). Doubt – Garner (back), Coleman (thigh)

Brentford injury news: Out ‑ R Henry, J Dasilva (both knee), A Hickey (thigh), K Ajer (ankle).

Mail Sport prediction: Draw.

3pm: FULHAM v WOLVES

Craven Cottage. Referee: Rob Jones.

Highlights: Match of the Day, BBC One 10.30pm.

Our expert’s view: I watched Fulham at Crystal Palace just before the international break and tipped them as dark horses for the top six. I hope they don’t make me look like a fool just a few weeks on against the side sat second bottom. They wouldn’t be the first to, though. HENRY CLARK

Players to watch: Fulham – Alex Iwobi. He’s playing the best football of his career and has found a level of consistency Arsenal and Everton fans would have doubted he ever had in him.

Wolves – Matheus Cunha. If Gary O’Neil’s side are to get anything at Craven Cottage then they’ll need Cunha to have a good day. A quality player who will have suitors in January in Wolves don’t start picking up results.

Fulham injury news: Out – H Reed (knee).

Wolves injury news: Out – Y Mosquera, E Gonzalez, B Traore, S Kalajdzic (all knee). Doubt ‑ S Bueno (muscle), Hwang, Meupiyou (both match fitness), P Sarabia (calf).

Mail Sport prediction: Fulham win.

5.30pm: MANCHESTER CITY v TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Etihad Stadium. Referee: John Brooks.

TV/radio: Live on Sky Sports and BBC 5 Live. Highlights: Match of the Day, BBC One 10.30pm.

Our expert’s view: Well I thought this weekend was going to be about how Manchester City reacted to Pep Guardiola’s new contract but it seems that the tactical side of the manager might be the most intriguing aspect. No Mateo Kovacic, who will miss around three weeks through injury, so Guardiola needs to come up with a solution in the No 6 role. John Stones? Ilkay Gundogan? Not the time to be experimenting given how dangerous City have found Tottenham on the break. JACK GAUGHAN

Players to watch: Man City – Savinho. The flying winger has made a big impact on City so far but is still waiting for his first goal. Could this be the day?

Tottenham – Son Heung-min. He scored two goals in the first 10 minutes in the 3-3 Etihad thriller last season – one of which was in his own net. He comes in under a little pressure having struggled this season but returned from international duty having scored two in two for South Korea.

Man City injury news: Out – Rodri (knee), Bobb (leg), Dias (calf), Kovacic (thigh). Doubt – Stones (ankle), Akanji (groin)

Tottenham injury news: Out – Bentancur (ban), Romero (toe/hamstring), Van de Ven, Odobert, Richarlison (hamstring), Moore (virus).

Mail Sport prediction: Man City win.

SUNDAY

2pm: SOUTHAMPTON v LIVERPOOL

St Mary’s Stadium. Referee: Sam Barrott.

TV/radio: Live on Sky Sports and BBC 5 Live. Highlights: Match of the Day 2, BBC One 10.30pm

Our expert’s view: It’s bottom versus top, so a walloping is on the cards. There’s no doubt that Arne Slot has benefitted from a gentle run of fixtures in these early months of his reign and this is the kindest of the bunch, especially if Russell Martin refuses to temper his aggressive tactics. RIATH AL-SAMARRAI

Who to watch: Southampton – Russell Martin. If he sets up to attack Liverpool, they could get torn apart.

Liverpool – Mohamed Salah. Close to his brilliant best this season and he will likely be given plenty of room to play.

Southampton injury news: Out – J Bednarek (knee), G Bazunu (achilles), A Ramsdale (finger), R Stewart (muscle), W Smallbone (thigh). Doubt ‑ F Downes (knee).

Liverpool injury news: Out ‑ Alisson (hamstring), D Jota (abdominal), H Elliott (foot), F Chiesa (fitness), T Alexander–Arnold (knee).

Mail Sport prediction: Liverpool win.

4.30pm: IPSWICH TWON v MAN UNITED

Portman Road. Referee: Anthony Taylor.

TV/radio: Live on Sky Sports and BBC 5 Live. Highlights: Match of the Day 2, BBC One 10.30pm.

Our expert’s view: All eyes – and camera lenses – will be fixed on the visiting dugout as Ruben Amorim takes charge of his first game as Manchester United manager. Interest in the game is incredibly high and there is lots of intrigue into how United will look in his image, with an expectation they go straight to his preferred 3-4-3 system. NATHAN SALT

Players to watch: Ipswich Town – Liam Delap. The England U21 forward should be licking his lips at going up against a defence that will only have played a back three in, at most, two training sessions this week. He’s the Tractor Boys’ top scorer with six this season and is their biggest threat.

Manchester United – Marcus Rashford. Much was made of his glamorous international break jaunt to New York and so pressure will again be attached to the Englishman. He’s had more time than most to work with Amorim and could start as the No 9.

Ipswich Town injury news: Doubt – K Phillips (undisclosed), J Greaves (hamstring), J Taylor (undisclosed), O Hutchinson (foot).

Manchester United injury news: Out – L Yoro (foot). Doubt – L Martinez (back), H Maguire (muscle), V Lindelof (hamstring), T Malacia (fitness).

Mail Sport prediction: Manchester United win

MONDAY

8pm: NEWCASTLE UNITED v WEST HAM UNITED

St James’ Park. Referee: Craig Pawson

TV/radio: Live on Sky Sports and talkSPORT.

Our expert’s view: If reports are to be believed, this is the first of two games for Julen Lopetegui to save his skin at West Ham. The Spaniard is not listening to such speculation but even he knows things have to change – and quickly. The magpies are flying so a night under the lights at Saint Jameses Park is an even more daunting task, especially for a team that has shown no sign of backbone when put under pressure this season. JAMES SHARPE

Players to watch: Newcastle – Alexander Isak. Eddie Howe backed the forward to be one of the world’s best and he’s on a run of scoring in his last matches for his club.

West Ham – Crysencio Somerville. If the Hammers are to get out of their rut he may be the man to do help them. For a team that has had very few reasons to get excited this season, the flashes of quality from the £25million pound signing should give them some hope.

Newcastle injury news: Out – S Botman, J Lascelles (both knee), E Krafth (shoulder), D Burn (suspended). Doubt: C Wilson (back), K Trippier (hamstring).

West Ham injury news: Out – M Kudus (ban), N Fullkrug (achilles).

Mail Sport prediction: Newcastle win.