Updated at 20.36
1. Who will be in the Manchester United starting XI?
JUAN MATA, ADNAN Januzaj, Angel Di Maria, Radamel Falcao, Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie… The list of stars is endless.
Having looked somewhat depleted in their opening day defeat to Swansea, Man United all of a sudden have an abundance of riches to choose from — at least in attack.
The question of how Van Gaal fits all these talents into the team remains a pertinent one, but the same can be said of rivals Manchester City and Chelsea, and to a lesser degree, Liverpool and Arsenal, in terms of their own selection dilemmas.
A strong first XI alone can no longer win a team the Premier League and often, fringe players can turn out to be crucial, as was the case with Edin Dzeko last season, when he inspired City’s late season title push having struggled to make the first XI prior to then, scoring 16 goals in 31 appearances overall.
However, Sunday’s line-up will still be intriguing, as it should go some way towards illustrating what Van Gaal considers his best team. Moreover, it will be interesting to see whether the notoriously fiery Dutchman can placate his unhappy stars in a similar way to the masterful manner in which counterpart Manuel Pellegrini handles his players.
2. Can Arsenal overcome their big-game hoodoo?
Arsenal ultimately finished just seven points off title winners Manchester City last season, however one of their main weaknesses was clear.
In games against their fellow top-four finishers, their record was poor. In six matches, they won just once, conceding 18 goals and only scoring seven.
If Arsenal are to launch a serious bid for title glory this year, it’s imperative that they avoid more consistent slip-ups and improve their normally excellent defensive record in these big games.
Fresh off his two goals for England in midweek, Danny Welbeck could go straight into the Arsenal starting XI. The striker may never be a prolific goalscorer — he has managed just 28 goals in 126 senior appearances so far — but he is certainly likely to benefit from being played regularly in his favoured central attacking position, as Arsene Wenger recently suggested he would be.
The 23-year-old should also significantly bolster Arsenal’s attacking options, especially with key striker Olivier Giroud currently out of action with a long-term injury.
3. Chelsea look odds-on favourites in top-of-the-table clash
(Diego Costa was the Premier League’s Player of the Month for August)
The only two remaining sides left in the Premier League with 100% records face off this weekend, as Chelsea host Swansea.
Diego Costa, who has been named as the Player of the Month for August after scoring four goals in three appearances, is facing a race to be fit for the game.
Yet, irrespective of whether the Londoners’ main man in attack plays, they face a team who should prove to be formidable opponents if their early-season form is anything to go by.
The Welsh side’s success has seen them concede just once in victories over Man United, Burnley and West Brom.
One key threat, in particular, that Jose Mourinho’s men will have to alleviate is summer signing Gylfi Sigurdsson, who has scored one and assisted four already for Swansea this season.
Yet Chelsea won 15 of their 19 home games last season, while losing just one, and so are understandably considered as the clear favourites for this match.
4. Can Mario Balotelli build on promising Liverpool debut?
Liverpool face a tricky-looking fixture this week against third-place Aston Villa, who have started the season off in impressive fashion and are one of just four Premier League sides to have retained their unbeaten run since the campaign began.
Furthermore, Paul Lambert’s men were one of just three sides to take points off the Reds at Anfield in the league last season, while they have lost just once in their last five visits there.
New signing Mario Balotelli will surely be key to the Reds’ hopes, particularly with the prolific Daniel Sturridge out injured.
The fiery Italian forward made an encouraging debut against Spurs the other week. Not known for his discipline, Balotelli produced an unusually gritty display, describing how manager Brendan Rodgers has persuaded him to mark opponents at corners among other tasks.
However, he will need to improve on his finishing if he is enjoy anything reminiscent of the adulation his predecessor Luis Suarez enjoyed at Anfield, with the 24-year-old missing some good opportunities in his first match as a Liverpool player.
5. Will Aiden McGeady start for Everton on the back of Ireland heroics?
Aiden McGeady has had a less-than-seamless transition from Spartak Moscow to Everton since joining the Toffees in last season’s January transfer window.
McGeady spent most of the last campaign recovering his fitness, after being previously ostracised by the Russian club, thus receiving minimal game time at Everton amid his debut Premier League campaign.
However, this year, a fresher-looking McGeady has started the season promisingly. In addition to a goal and an assist so far at club level, his exquisite brace helped Ireland overcome Georgia last week.
Nevertheless, with top players such as Kevin Mirallas also fighting for a place in the team, the at times inconsistent 28-year-old needs to maintain his excellent recent form if he is to continue to play regularly for a club at Everton’s level.
