Premier League Preview – Gameweek 32 | Newcastle vs Tottenham | Arsenal vs Southampton

Edge of the Box is back to preview gameweek 32 in the Premier League this weekend, as well the FA Cup semi-finals, with host Dan Bardell joined by football tactics expert Jonathan Wilson and EASTAFFICANREPORT.com‘s very own Dan Worth to discuss this week’s big talking points.

The show gets underway with Friday night’s clash between Arsenal and Southampton. The Gunners have drawn their last two games after being 2-0 up in both and the panel discuss whether they are allowing the title to slip away from their grasp and should they fail to win the Premier League, if it would still be considered a successful season if Mikel Arteta’s side finished runners-up. For Southampton, they come into the weekend bottom of the table and their chances of survival are analysed, as well as looking at the players who may leave if Saints were to be relegated.

Next up is a key battle in the race for the top four, with Newcastle vs Tottenham on the agenda. For Newcastle it could be argued that they have exceeded expectations this season with the fact that they are in the race for a place in next season’s Champions League, which may see Eddie Howe considered for Premier League Manager of the Season. Tottenham have been struggling in recent weeks defensively, including Davinson Sanchez who was subbed off less than 25 minutes after coming on against Bournemouth, and the panel look at whether Spurs should switch to a four man defence. There is a chance that Tottenham could miss out on a European place altogether, but would a year away from European competition benefit them? There is also a combined XI for this game.

The first FA Cup semi-final, between Manchester City and Sheffield United, is next up for discussion. Two of Sheffield’s star players, Tommy Doyle and James McAtee are ineligible to play in this game, with City being their parent club, but could they be in with a chance of playing for Pep Guardiola’s side next season and how much of a loss will they be to Sheffield in this match? With City still fighting for the Premier League and the Champions League, could this match be seen as a distraction for them?

The other FA Cup semi-final is also previewed with Brighton meeting Manchester United for a place in the final. United will once again be without Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, owing to injury, and with Harry Maguire and Vitor Lindelof looking shaky in defence on the weekend against Nottingham Forest, how costly could the former pair’s absence be to them? However the boost for Erik ten Hag is that Casemiro and Christian Eriksen have both returned to the team and the panel discuss who they believe is more important to the side. Staying with Casemiro, the United midfielder is compared with Brighton’s Moises Caicedo, who not long ago was heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford. For the Seagulls, on top of this massive game, they are also in the hunt for a European place, but could this cup run hinder their chances of achieving that? Or would winning this game alongside at least a top six finish push Roberto De Zerbi towards being considered as the Premier League Manager of the Season? There is also a combined XI for this match.

Edge of the Box wouldn’t be the same without the just-a-minute section and that’s included with quickfire previews for the remaining Premier League fixtures to end the show.