7 EPL Players with Points to Prove This Weekend
No sooner has a packed-out series of European fixtures finished and the Premier League weekend is set to roll back into full swing again this weekend.
There are plenty of talking points heading into Matchday 9 of the season, not least the blockbusting game between unbeaten league leaders Chelsea and Louis van Gaal's Manchester United, a game which has taken top billing among all of the weekend's fixtures.
And after a chaotic weekend in the Premier League last time out, there are plenty of players that will fall under the spotlight for a varying number of reasons this weekend.
Let's take a look at seven players in particular who have a point to prove as they gear up for another weekend of domestic action.
Vito Mannone (Sunderland)
1 of 7
Where else can you start other than that incredible result at Southampton last weekend, as Ronald Koeman's men lit up the south coast with one of the best attacking performances in Premier League history.
Of course, as much as that 8-0 win was about Southampton being good, it was also about Sunderland being poor.
Vito Mannone had only conceded one goal in his previous three games prior to that defeat against the Saints, earning rave reviews for his performance during the 0-0 draw at Burnley.
But even though his defence failed him against Southampton, Mannone himself must shoulder a hefty portion of the blame for that defeat, and his performance this weekend (if he is selected) will be under massive scrutiny.
With Costel Pantilimon waiting in the wings, the Arsenal fixture is a huge test of Mannone's character, ironically against the club that let him go.
Emmanuel Riviere (Newcastle United)
2 of 7
At the time of writing, Emmanuel Riviere is a doubt for Newcastle United's trip to Tottenham, per WhoScored, but if he makes the team for the game in north London, there will be fairly decent pressure on the Frenchman's shoulders.
Brought in to aid Newcastle's problems upfront alongside Siem de Jong (who is currently injured), the striker has failed to make an impact on Tyneside so far.
He is yet to score a single goal in Newcastle United colours, and with Papiss Cisse so far leading Newcastle's line on his own, Riviere is going to have to step up sooner or later.
Will a defining performance arrive against Tottenham this weekend?
Rafael (Manchester United)
3 of 7
Many have questioned that Marcos Rojo has struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League, but on Monday night, it was Rafael's performance that came under the spotlight.
United's defensive line was let down by the Brazilian for West Brom's second goal, leaving Saido Berahino with the freedom of The Hawthorns to race through and put Albion back in front.
His performances have been ranging from excellent to poor this year, and he will have to be at his best this weekend as he faces a potent Chelsea attack.
Dealing with the likes of Eden Hazard and Oscar is something Rafael has been able to do in the past, but with his form looking shaky so far in recent weeks, he will be under the spotlight in some style this weekend.
Roberto Soldado (Tottenham Hotspur)
4 of 7
In truth, Roberto Soldado has had a point to prove for well over a year now, having struggled to replicate his form with Valencia in the Premier League.
Soldado is yet to score in the Premier League this season, with his only goal coming in the League Cup win against Nottingham Forest.
But in the last few days, the pressure has been heaped on the Spaniard even more. It was bad enough missing a crucial penalty in Spurs' defeat to Manchester City, but one of his main rivals for the striking role impressed in the Europa League on Thursday.
A hat-trick for Harry Kane has piled the pressure on Soldado, and if he is given the nod to start this Saturday, he will have to find his best form to hold off the threat of Kane taking his place in the side.
Spurs fans are starting to realise what a talent the England under-21 international is, and if the goals continue to dry up for Soldado, he could find himself out of the team in the near future.
That's why a performance against a somewhat vulnerable Newcastle is vital for Spurs' No. 9.
Dejan Lovren (Liverpool)
5 of 7
It goes without saying that Mario Balotelli is under the spotlight this weekend (as always), but that shouldn't deflect from the rest of Liverpool's problems.
One clean sheet in 18 games makes for grim reading for Brendan Rodgers' men, and his marquee signing in defence will again be under extreme pressure this weekend.
In facing Hull City, Liverpool are tackling a side who are in decent form, with Abel Hernandez proving just how much of a handful he can be last weekend against Arsenal.
Liverpool's £20 million man has struggled to replicate his commanding form he showed at Southampton last year, and his performance will be key to Liverpool getting their season on track again following that defeat to Real Madrid in midweek.
Can Lovren produce his best form and justify that hefty price tag?
Juan Mata (Manchester United)
6 of 7
It will be a special afternoon for Juan Mata in many ways on Sunday, as he returns to former club Chelsea keen to show why they were wrong to let him go in January.
But as well as that, Mata has to prove to United fans and Louis van Gaal why they were right to buy him, having struggled to find his best form so far this season.
He was largely anonymous during United's 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion on Monday, and he is perhaps a victim of the same formation that saw Shinji Kagawa's time at United never really get off the ground.
Mata is one of the most naturally gifted No. 10's in the game, and if given an opportunity to flourish in that position, the chances are he will become a vital cog of United's midfield.
But after a disappointing showing on Monday night, no matter where Mata is deployed on Sunday, he has to show he can deliver on the big stage.
Didier Drogba (Chelsea)
7 of 7
Of all the players who are going to be under the spotlight this weekend, there is perhaps nobody under more pressure than Chelsea's Didier Drogba.
With Diego Costa battling a mystery illness, and Loic Remy injuring himself in the act of scoring against Maribor in the Champions League, all of a sudden, Drogba has become Chelsea's main threat up top.
It's been a relatively slow start to life back at the Bridge for Drogba, but the first goal of his second spell at Chelsea will have given him a lift, as will getting 75 minutes under his belt on Tuesday.
Drogba is more than accustomed to leading the line for Chelsea at Old Trafford, but this will be a different kettle of fish altogether.
The pressure on the Ivorian's shoulders is huge, and if he can handle it (as he has proven he can in the past), then Chelsea's unbeaten record will have a fairly decent chance of still being alive come Sunday night.
