Some of the Premier League’s powerhouse clubs faced off for the first time last week, when Arsenal emphatically passed their toughest test to cruise past London rivals Chelsea.

But the Blues only have one difficult match (according to fixture difficulty rating, 3 or above) in the next ten rounds, six of which are at home. Champions League football began this past midweek, with Europa and Conference League action resuming next Thursday, so expect some squad rotation.

Here are the players to consider bringing into your squad for this weekend’s fixtures

Defenders

Luka Vuskovic (Brighton, £5 million v Coventry, Sunday)

Brighton’s new recruit has made a steady start to life in English football, scoring in their draw with Leeds last week. The Seagulls visit Coventry, one of three teams yet to score this season. The Croatian’s big frame and aerial ability could help them keep a clean sheet and there is always the chance of him popping up with an offensive contribution.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Everton, £4.5m v Tottenham, Saturday)

Everton may have kept only one clean sheet so far but they remain unbeaten thanks to battling draws with Brighton and Manchester United. This former Arsenal full back will be needed with defensive contributions if the Spurs attack is working well, and could pop up with another attacking moment if the North London side are not switched on defensively.

Maxence Lacroix (Chelsea, £6m v Hull City, Saturday)

Chelsea have been one of the most promising teams going forward under the new leadership of Xabi Alonso, but have shown serious frailties at the back. However, this coming period offers the Spanish coach a huge opportunity to sort those defensive issues out, given much more manageable challenges starting with the visit of the impressive Tigers.

Lacroix has the third-most defensive contributions (33), but some shutout points should follow in the coming weeks.

Midfielders

Vitaly Janelt (Brentford, £5m v Bournemouth, Saturday)

Brentford have picked up where they left off last season, looking solid at home and grinding results on the road. Their lone clean sheet on opening day was their best performance so far and the Dane scored against Spurs. He has since added another goal in the draw with Sunderland and also has the third most defensive contributions (35) among midfielders.

Rodrigo Bentancur (Tottenham Hotspur, £5.5m v Everton, Saturday)

Uruguayan veteran Bentancur has been through everything in North London and could have lost his place with the signings of Sandro Tonali and Matheus Fernandes. However, his passing prowess and tenacity (also in top six for defensive contributions) could lay the foundation for more controlled performances. He may need a goal or two to solidify that starting position but upcoming matches against Aston Villa and Coventry could aid in that quest.

Morgan Rogers (Chelsea, £7.5m v Hull City, Saturday)

Chelsea have started confidently despite defeat to champions Arsenal, and Rogers opened the scoring inside two minutes at the Emirates, showing their transition threat. The big-money signing from Aston Villa has the fifth-best influence rating among midfielders and goals should be abound with Hull and Coventry coming up.

Forwards

Alexander Isak (Liverpool, £9.1m v Fulham, Saturday)

Isak is finally growing into the striker that the Merseyside club were expecting when they broke the club record to sign from Newcastle last year. He has three goals in their last two games and the second-most total points. The Swede has struggled against his next two opponents, scoring just twice in nine previous meetings with Fulham and Bournemouth but he can put that right in the next few weeks.

Wilson Isidor (Sunderland, £6m v Arsenal, Saturday)

Haitian striker Wilson Isidor brought forth his momentum from the quality goal against Morocco at the World Cup and has been involved in two of the Black Cats’ three goals so far. However, this pick is for those who are considering a budget option for a wild card after the international break, when they face Brighton and Bournemouth.

Nicolas Jackson (Aston Villa, £6.5m v Nottingham Forest, Saturday)

Villa are going through a season of transition, but they picked up their game in Belgium to score their first goals of the season and beat Club Brugge in the Champions League in midweek. The Senegalese scored their second in a 3-2 win but faces Forest and Tottenham in his next two games, against whom he has scored five goals in seven games.

The reigning Europa League winners have to get going in the league at some point and these next four games look a chance to find that improvement.

The Verdict

With European football under way for the bigger teams, and returning next week for others, managers must factor in rotation and injuries. Most managers will use their wild card before Gameweek 6, immediately after the international break.

This weekend the Manchester derby is the standout fixture, while the best attack host the best defence as Chelsea welcome Hull City to Stamford Bridge.