With the Premier League returning this weekend after the international break, all eyes will be back on the domestic game.
As we head towards the coveted 10-game mark, a time when many take stock of the start that clubs have made so far, some players will be under pressure to pick up their game.
The fixture list now kicks into full swing and managers will be hoping to get more out of their underperformers while getting the most out of their star players.
With that in mind, here are nine players who will be under pressure to perform for their clubs in the Premier League over the coming weeks.
Read on to see who we are looking to stand up and be counted:
1. Denis Odoi – Fulham
No team has conceded more goals than Fulham in the Premier League this season and the Belgium defender needs to step up big time. He was a big part of the side’s promotion last season but has, so far, failed to make the jump.
The Whites have conceded 21 times in just eight games, an average of 2.6 per game. If this doesn’t improve Fulham will go down but they have a played Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham in their opening fixtures.
They play Cardiff, Bournemouth and Huddersfield in three of their next four games which will be massive for Jokanovic’s men and he’ll be looking to his centre-back to step up and become the key defender that he was last season.
2. Romelu Lukaku – Manchester United
United’s own Belgian is also their most important goal threat and he needs to return to the kind of scoring form that helped United to a second place finish last season.
Mourinho is certainly the Premier League’s most under pressure manager and he will need his striker to come up big especially considering it is Chelsea and Juventus up next for the Red Devils.
Lukaku has not scored in his last six appearances for United in all competitions and that needs to change.
3. Paul Pogba – Manchester United
Pogba was instrumental during the comeback win against Newcastle United. He has the ability to dictate the pace of play and will be hugely influential against Chelsea this weekend as well as in the Champions League against his old team Juventus in mid-week.
Despite a well-publicised rift with his manager, Mourinho needs his midfield maestro to be at his best if United are going to make ground on the top four who are already five points ahead.
With two goals and two assists in his eight Premier League appearances so far Pogba’s effort needs to continue as United have a tough set of fixtures in the next three weeks with the Manchester derby looming on November 11.
4. Solomon Rondon – Newcastle
The big Venezuelan will need to find his scoring touch if Newcastle are to pull away from trouble at the bottom of the Premier League. He is yet to score since signing on loam from West Brom in the summer.
The Magpies have struggled for a number of reasons both on and off the pitch and have found the back of the net just six times in their opening eight games.
They have a massive month with their next six fixtures all looking winnable (Brighton (h), Southampton (a), Watford (h), Bournemouth (h), Burnley (a) and West Ham (h). So Mr Rondon will need to kick into gear and offer his side some much-needed firepower.
5. Wilfred Zaha – Crystal Palace
There is no doubt that Palace have come to rely heavily on Zaha if they are to have any success. And once again they need him to be at his best as Palace prepare to take on some big hitters.
They play four of the top eight in their next six fixtures which could see them struggling for points. Zaha does have a reputation as a big-game player for the Londoners so there is a good chance that if he plays well they will get something from the game.
He has had more shots per game (2) than any other Palace player this season – except for Christian Benteke who will be out through injury until the next year – and has bagged a healthy three goals and an assist in seven games.
This is his time to shine and it may also put him back in the limelight as the January window beckons.
6. Steve Mounie – Huddersfield
Last season the Terriers did really well to survive but that dreaded second season syndrome already appears to be kicking in. Mounie bagged seven goals in 28 Premier League games last season and those strikes were key to Huddersfield’s survival.
He is yet to score in seven appearances so far this season and Huddersfield have returned a miserly four goals in their eight games so far.
A difficult home game against Liverpool precedes a trip to Watford and then two vital matches at home to Fulham and West Ham which already look like being must win games. Wagner will need his players to get themselves up for the game if they are to take some much needed points and Mounie will be under pressure to find his scoring touch again.
7. Danny Ings – Southampton
Southampton have been pretty poor so far this season managing just one win in the Premier League. They have scored just six goals in eight games yet the positive aspect to their play has been the performances of on loan striker Danny Ings.
The Liverpool man has netted three times so far which is 50% of the Saints’ entire goal haul. He also bagged one in the League Cup at Everton so he is clearly a man in some form.
With strikers like Shane Long and Charlie Austin yet to find the net, the pressure will be on Ings to continue his good form and help fire Southampton away from trouble. Ings has been the ‘big fish’ in a ‘small pond’ before, thriving under the responsibility to score goals during his time with Burnley. Expect to see the same again.
8. Gylfi Sigurdsson – Everton
No player has contributed to more goals (four goals, one assist) for Everton than Gylfi Sigurdsson this season. He has been exceptional despite a slow start from the Toffees. It is not surprising given his quality but as the star player of the team, he will need to be at his best in the coming weeks.
Everton, thanks to two wins in their last two games, have moved up the table to a healthier position of 11th but they will be hoping to get at least six points from their next three games as they face Crystal Palace and Brighton with Manchester United sandwiched in the middle.
The Icelandic international is at the heart of most of their good play and he has had more shots per game (2.3) than any other player in the team and made more key passes per game (2.9) as well.
Keeping up this level of performance won’t be easy but, as with his national side, Sigurdsson is no stranger to being the star man and will likely take the pressure that comes with it in his stride.
9. Harry Arter – Cardiff City
It can come as no surprise that Neil Warnock’s Cardiff are struggling. They shocked quite a few people by winning promotion in the first place but one thing they will need is big performances from their experienced players.
Harry Arter is just that. The Bournemouth loanee has played 69 times in the top flight with Bournemouth and his energetic midfield displays won him many plaudits. He has struggled to reproduce that form with Blue Birds this season but if Cardiff are to turn around their poor start, just two points from the opening eight games, then Arter will need to play a big part.
He dragged Bournemouth through a couple of relegation scraps and will be under pressure to up his game and do the same for Neil Warnock’s men this season.
The post Nine Premier League players under pressure to perform for their clubs in the coming weeks appeared first on Squawka News.
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