Ten Premier League talking points ahead of the weekend from Man Utd’s tactical test to Brighton’s giants

One of the sub-plots at Manchester City ahead of Saturday’s visit from Tottenham is who Pep Guardiola will start up front. Both Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus reported back for duty later than usual after playing at the Copa America. Both scored at the London Stadium last weekend but Jesus was preferred from the off and substitute Aguero initially missed a penalty, before VAR ordered it to be retaken. Aguero was clearly Guardiola’s first choice last year, but is him being granted permission to play in Vincent Kompany’s testimonial next month a sign of waning influence? Saturday’s team sheet should offer us more clues. MC

Was Jurgen Klopp right not to reinforce his squad during the summer? St Mary’s will be the first big test of this policy.

It took 120 minutes of exhausting effort and penalties for Liverpool to secure their Super Cup victory over Chelsea in Istanbul on Wednesday night and this Saturday fixture means the team will have little rest. Southampton looked good in the first half of their 3-0 defeat away to Burnley last week before collapsing in the second period. Ralph Hasenhuttl is a good organiser and will sense an opportunity for his side if Liverpool show any sign of weariness. TE

Wolves were masters of surprise against the top six last season, curling up into a tight defensive ball before springing into lethal counter-attacks which tore through the very best defences in the division, including Manchester United, twice. Has Ole Gunnar Solskjaer learnt those lessons? As much as anything else, this game will reveal whether the United manager has the tactical nous to avoid Nuno Espirito Santo’s tempting traps. LO

Are Watford really as bad as their 3-0 defeat at home to Brighton suggests? If they are, the last thing Javi Gracia needs is this awkward trip to Goodison. On opening day Watford were wasteful in front of goal and error-ridden at the back. That is a toxic combination. Gracia needs to get things back on track quickly. Struggling managers do not hang around too long at Vicarage Road – as Marco Silva knows only too well. The Everton boss will expect more from his new signings, especially Jean-Philippe Gbamin. The Ivorian, who cost £25 million from Mainz, was off the pace in the 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace last week. TE

While a West Ham squad replenished with new signings got off to the worst possible start against Manchester City, Brighton made the perfect beginning under their new manager, Graham Potter. This will be a more accurate gauge of Manuel Pellegrini’s side, but half the battle will be figuring out what Brighton are doing – is it 3-4-3, 5-4-1 or something else? Which of their four forwards will play? And, perhaps most perplexing of all, how do you get past that giant defence of Shane Duffy (6ft 4ins), Lewis Dunk (6ft 4ins) and Dan Burn (6ft 7ins)? LO

For Arsenal this weekend, after a tale of grittiness to take three points from St James’ Park, their home fixture against Burnley is truly the catwalk for their fleet of new signings. But while Nicolas Pepe is still being nurtured into the starting eleven under £72m of expectation, it’s David Luiz and Dani Ceballos who can prove they possess the experience and spite to reinforce the club’s brittle defence and fill the glaring void in midfield left by Aaron Ramsey. Their performances, regardless of the club’s headline-grabbing record signing, could well be the most telling factor in Arsenal’s season and their pursuit of a return to the top-four. TK

Aston Villa showed plenty of what they are about in their opening day defeat to Tottenham last weekend. John McGinn was the classiest midfielder in the Championship a year ago and the step up doesn’t appear to be too much for him in any way while Jack Grealish has looked a Premier League player for some time. This weekend will be all about Tyrone Mings after his summer move from Saturday's opponents, Bournemouth. An England call surely beckons in the next international break if he can string a few more eye-catching performances together over this first month. BB

Leicester may have lost Harry Maguire to Manchester United but the performance put in by Caglar Soyuncu against Wolves last weekend suggests Chelsea will have their work cut out in breaking down the Foxes. In just his fifth Leicester start since his move to the club last season, Soyuncu showed he may have what it takes to fill Maguire’s boots. Against Wolves the 23-year-old made three tackles, won more of his aerial duels than anyone in a Leicester shirt and, even more reassuringly for Brendan Rodgers, completed 92.2 per cent of his 77 passes. Getting the better of the Lord Farquaad lookalike may well be key to Chelsea’s hopes of recording their first win of the new campaign. SL

Sheffield United opened with a deserved point at Bournemouth but had to play with the handbrake on to an extent. Chris Wilder had promised not to “take a wrecking ball” to the innovative 3-4-1-2 system – featuring over-lapping centre-backs – which won promotion, but he admitted post-match that playing away against equally free-flowing opponents meant a slightly more conservative approach. The shackles should come off when top-flight football returns to Bramall Lane on Sunday for the first time in 12 years, with Crystal Palace the visitors. MC

Newcastle raised eyebrows amid the gloom this summer by splashing out £40m on Brazilian forward Joelinton. Many scoffed at the exorbitant fee for a forward fresh from mustering only seven goals in the Bundesliga, but for a side bereft of quality and inspiration right now, Steve Bruce needs less magic right now and more nuisance in the final third as they desperately scrap for points.

A promising debut against Arsenal suggests he can be just that. Norwich, whose defence appeared naive at Anfield last Friday, could offer more joy for the latest No 9 in black and white. JR

Arsenal vs Burnley, 12.30pm
Villa vs Bournemouth, 3pm​
Brighton vs West Ham, 3pm​
Everton vs Watford, 3pm​
Norwich vs Newcastle, 3pm​
Southampton vs Liverpool, 3pm​
Manchester City vs Tottenham, 5.30pm

Sheffield United vs Crystal Palace, Sunday 2pm​
Chelsea vs Leicester, 4pm

Wolves vs Man Utd, 8pm​