Sam McGuire highlights three players to watch in the Premier League this weekend for the next instalment of his stats series.
Last weekend, I picked Mohamed Salah, Harry Kane and David De Gea as my players to watch. Salah netted against Arsenal, Kane scored the winner for Spurs versus Brighton and De Gea kept a clean sheet as United claimed a 2-0 win over Everton.
I’m going to try and keep this good record going with these three picks.
Ollie Watkins
The Villa front man won the battle to be the main man at Villa Park when Danny Ings was sold to West Ham United. Since then, the former Brentford man has been in fine form. Watkins has 10 goals and two assists in 15 Premier League appearances since action resumed following the World Cup.
The 27-year-old has just one goal against Newcastle across four outings but he has netted four in his last five and nine in his last 11. His form is no doubt one of the main reasons Villa now find themselves in sixth position in the English top-flight and unbeaten in their last seven.
It’ll be no easy feat though, Newcastle have the best defensive record in the Premier League this season having conceded just 21 goals in 29 matches.
Betfred
- Huge range of regular promotions
- 24/7 live chat service
- PickYourPunt builder for custom bets
Gabriel Jesus
The Brazilian forward has had quite the impact since returning from injury. He scored twice against Leeds United and then headed past compatriot Alisson Becker to give the Gunners a 2-0 lead at Anfield. Mikel Arteta’s side couldn’t hold out and had to settle for a 2-2 draw but the fact is Jesus has three goals in two starts.
He is going to be key in these final few games for Arsenal. He’s one of the few winners in the squad and his mentality could be the difference between success and failure. The league leaders travel to West Ham this weekend, a team in a relegation battle. It is a potential banana skin but Jesus will fancy his chances of extending his goal run.
Erling Haaland
Haaland is the definition of a goal machine. He followed up his two-goal showing with a goal at the Allianz Arena in the Champions League as Manchester City took full control of their quarter-final clash with Bayern Munich.
The 22-year-old has 30 Premier League goals this term and it looks a cert that he will shatter the existing record of 32, set by Mohamed Salah during the 2017/18 campaign.
Haaland has scored in 18 English top-flight matches this term and on eight occasions he’s gone on to score more than one. Simply put, in 44% of the games he’s scored, he’s gone on to score again. If he manages it against Leicester City, a team he hasn’t faced this season, he will equal the league record.
If he adds another hat-trick then he is a record-breaker. It sounds like Roy of the Rovers stuff but for the Norway international, it is everyday life.
