Four KEY Questions for Thursday's Matches: A Deep Dive into the Week's Biggest Games
As Matchweek 19 unfolds, we delve into the main talking points for each remaining fixture, with football writer Alex Keble offering his insights.
Nostalgia's Grip on Frank's Return to Brentford
Thomas Frank returns to the Gtech Community Stadium, the place where his coaching journey began with Brentford, the club that promoted him to his first head coach role and helped him ascend to the Premier League.
The contrast between his current team, Tottenham Hotspur, and his former set-piece coach Keith Andrews' Brentford could evoke strong feelings of nostalgia. Brentford's recent success, including eight wins in their last 12 Premier League home games, stands in stark contrast to Spurs' struggles, with only one win in their last eight games.
Frank will undoubtedly reminisce about the days when he and Andrews were celebrated for their overachieving ways. However, defeat for Spurs will be particularly painful, as they seek to end their recent slump.
Can Man City End Sunderland's Unbeaten Home Run?
Following Arsenal's victory over Aston Villa, Manchester City is eager to respond. Sunderland and Arsenal are the only Premier League teams still unbeaten at home, and they've already held Aston Villa and Arsenal to draws at the Stadium of Light this season.
If they can hold Man City to a draw, it will be seen as a missed opportunity for Pep Guardiola's team, who are on a six-game winning streak in the Premier League. Rayan Cherki's unstoppable form and his battle with Granit Xhaka and a powerful Sunderland midfield will be a fascinating spectacle, especially with Erling Haaland making his debut at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland will put up a serious challenge, but the question remains: can they stop City's steamrolling?
Will Wirtz and Frimpong Give Liverpool the Edge?
Leeds United's new 3-5-2 formation was tested in their 3-3 draw with Liverpool at Elland Road in December. Despite the difficulty of facing Liverpool at Anfield, it's plausible that Daniel Farke's new system could halt Liverpool's in-form players.
Florian Wirtz, who scored his first goal against Wolverhampton Wanderers, may struggle to find space among a back five, similar to his experience at Elland Road. Jeremie Frimpong, who didn't play in the reverse fixture but assisted against Wolves, might face challenges in overlapping positions against a wing-back and outside centre-back.
However, an injury to Joe Rodon is a significant setback for Leeds' defense. Hugo Ekitike remains the likely player to flourish, despite Dominic Calvert-Lewin's goalscoring streak.
Do Goal-Shy Palace Present Fulham with the Opportunity to Make it Four in a Row?
Oliver Glasner's vocal plea for new signings highlights the challenges faced by Crystal Palace, who are in poor form after a brilliant start to 2026. The issue, as Glasner points out, is a lack of goals. Palace had only two shots on target against Spurs and have scored just once in their last three games.
This presents an opportunity for Fulham, who have kept consecutive clean sheets and are on a three-match winning streak in the Premier League. With Palace's goal-shy nature, Fulham has the chance to win at Selhurst Park and extend their winning streak to four games.
