Eberechi Eze gave Mikel Arteta a glimpse of a different Arsenal when he started on the left against Manchester City last weekend. The England international looked sharp, direct, and unafraid to take on defenders, even if his 74th-minute substitution raised eyebrows with the Gunners still hunting an equaliser at the Etihad.
That cameo was notable for another reason. It marked the longest Eze and Martin Ødegaard have shared a Premier League pitch. For a side that has sometimes lacked unpredictability in the final third, that extra dimension could prove decisive in the run-in.
With Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli both searching for form, Saturday’s clash with Newcastle on 25 April offers Eze a real chance to nail down the left-wing spot. Arsenal need points to reclaim top spot, and his ability to beat a man might be the spark they’re missing. 
Arteta has largely used Eze as a No 10 since his arrival, prompting some fans to call for a midfield reshuffle: drop Martín Zubimendi, shift Declan Rice deeper, and pair Eze with Ødegaard centrally. It’s a bold idea, but it may overlook where Eze has historically done his best work.
At Crystal Palace he flourished because he had freedom to drift inside from the left, find half-spaces, and run at retreating full-backs. In that advanced wide role he becomes harder to track and gives Arsenal another creator who can also finish.
The Newcastle test will be physical and fast, exactly the sort of game where Eze’s close control and low center of gravity can unbalance a high line. If he starts and impacts the match, Arteta may have found a way to keep both him and Ødegaard on the pitch without sacrificing balance.
Elsewhere this weekend, the FA Cup serves up a classic underdog story. Southampton meet Manchester City at Wembley, chasing only the second major trophy in their 140-year history and hoping to end a 50-year wait since their 1976 triumph.
Tonda Eckert’s Saints are flying in the Championship, unbeaten in 20 and pushing for automatic promotion. Pep Guardiola will remind his side that they lost 1-0 to Southampton six years ago, and another upset on Saturday would go down as one of the Cup’s great shocks. Yet even with rotation, City reaching a fourth straight final feels likely.
At Anfield, Liverpool’s focus will drift beyond their match with Crystal Palace to the opposition midfield. Adam Wharton could return from an adductor issue, and Arne Slot’s recruitment team will be watching closely. Slot admitted a top-five finish “could impact our plans for the summer”, with midfield reinforcements high on the list.
Palace have beaten Liverpool in all three meetings with Marc Guéhi at the back, and Wharton’s composure has been central to that record. Should the 22-year-old push for a move, his north-west roots and Liverpool’s Champions League push could align neatly.
Finally, Tottenham travel to Wolves with confidence at a low point. Roberto De Zerbi admitted there is “fragility” in his squad after Georginio Rutter’s stoppage-time equaliser denied them a first 2026 win, and the club is now hiring a psychologist. Wolves have shipped 12 goals in four games, so Saturday is a real chance for Spurs to reset. De Zerbi insists they can win all five remaining matches to avoid the drop — it has to start at Molineux.
