FRIDAY:
BRIGHTON V BURNLEY
Both sides are not in great form. Brighton haven't won their last five whereas Burnley are yet to win this season. Brighton have played some nice stuff at times which is good to watch but they haven't killed teams off which has been the case for them this season. Neal Maupay will hopefully return to the team after missing their defeat to Spurs last week which was surprising because Brighton didn't start with a recognised striker on the day. If the Seagulls are to start winning football matches again they need Maupay on the pitch because he's a goal scorer and if you don't score, you don't win games. Burnley are currently bottom of the league so they need to start winning and fast. Gudmundsson and Mee could be available for this one after time out injured which could be a massive boost for the Clarets because they're both important players for them. Mee has been a miss because Burnley look more secure at the back when both him and Tarkowski are there plus Gudmundsson is a goal threat which has been missing for Burnley all season with Wood and Barnes only scoring one goal between them so far this season.
Due to the form that both sides are in, I can't see a winner in this one because they're not scoring many goals at the minute. I think this one will be a draw and I think they'll both cancel each other out.
PREDICTION: 1-1
SOUTHAMPTON V NEWCASTLE
How do Southampton cope without Danny Ings? The striker could be out for some time due to a knee injury he picked up in the final minutes of their 4-3 win at Aston Villa which is very bad news for Southampton because he's scored a lot of goals for them since he's been at the club. Che Adams has been good for them in recent weeks and the pressure will be on him to score goals whilst Ings is out plus the Saints have other players like James Ward Prowse and Nathan Redmond who are capable of stepping up and being the main man in the team whilst their goal scorer is out. Southampton have made a good start to the season and they'll have to keep it up without their main striker. Newcastle haven't lost away from home all season and got a good win last time out against Everton at St James' Park. Callum Wilson is looking like a good signing for them after scoring twice in that game and is showing what Newcastle lacked last season in a clinical centre forward. Newcastle can be a team that get one good result one week and then have a bad result the next which has been a theme for them this season. They got outplayed by Brighton after winning well against West Ham on the opening day and later got battered by Man United after beating Burnley almost a month ago. Steve Bruce will want to win this one to get some consistency in his side.
If Danny Ings was available for this one I would go with a Southampton win but because he isn't I don't think they'll win it. They won't lose because they have players who can step up whilst Newcastle can be great one week and average the next. Because of this I'm going for a draw.
PREDICTION: 1-1
SATURDAY:
EVERTON V MAN UNITED
Everton have lost their last two games and will want to avoid a third going into this one. Richarlison has been a miss for them in those defeats and will once again unavailable as he completes his three match ban from his red card in the Merseyside Derby. Both Seamus Coleman and Lucas Digne will be fit for this one as will James Rodriguez which is good news because Everton missed their creativity and energy in the last two games against Southampton and Newcastle. Man United simply have to win this one because of the performances and defeats in their last two games which have increased the pressure on boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. They were flat against Arsenal and were terrible against Istanbul Besaksehir. The defending for both goals was terrible and especially the first one where every player apart from the goalkeeper were in the oppositions half. Ex-defender Rio Ferdinand said on BT Sport after the game that he hoped Ole gave the players a telling off and he has a point because that performance was terrible.
I'm going for a draw in this one because I can see United put in a better performance than they did in mid-week plus they haven't lost away from home this season. Everton will cause them problems with Dominic Calvert Lewin's aerial presence but I still think they'll miss Richarlison. It should be a great game and I'm going fopr a score draw.
PREDICTION: 2-2
CRYSTAL PALACE V LEEDS
Crystal Palace have made a decent start to the season with three wins, three defeats and draw in their first seven games. The defeats suffered were against tough opposition so Roy Hodgson should be satisfied with the way that his side have started the season. They're currently 13th in the table and that is where Palace should be and I think they're going to stay up comfortably for another season like they have done for the last two or three seasons. Leeds shot themselves in the foot against Leicester with Patrick Bamford missing a great chance in the first minute which then lead to Leicester scoring at the other end and winning the game comfortably. Apart from that result, Leeds have made a reasonable start to life back in the Premier League and have been great to watch. They'll look to record their third consecutive away win in this one after successes at Sheffield United and Aston Villa in their last two on the road where they kept clean sheets in both games.
I think this one will be a Leeds win because I think the way they will be a bit too much for Palace. Luka Milivojevic will be out for this one and he'll be a miss for Palace because of the way he protects the defence and his influence on the team. Wilfried Zaha will fancy himself because Leeds can be open at the back, but I think Leeds should still have enough to win the game with their movement at the top end of the pitch.
PREDICTION: 1-2
CHELSEA V SHEFFIELD UNITED
Chelsea looked like a team against Burnley last week and they followed that up with a win against Rennes in the Champions League on Wednesday night. They look more solid defensively with Mendy making big saves and Thiago Silva being a leader and defensively solid which is what Chelsea weren't a few weeks ago against Southampton. Their attack is beginning to take shape with Timo Werner scoring goals, Hakim Ziyech hitting the ground running quickly and Kai Havertz impressing in the no.8 role alongside Mason Mount in the win at Burnley last week. If Chelsea can keep this up, it could be a good season for them. Sheffield United on the other hand don't look like scoring goals. Whenever they got into the final third against Man City, they never got the ball in the box from wide areas and they instead passed it sideways and backwards. Rhian Brewster was left frustrated in the box because he got no service and strikers need service if they're to score goals and win games for their team. If Sheffield United don't sort this out, they'll be in a relegation battle for sure.
I'm going for a Chelsea win here because they're looking strong defensively and they're attack is beginning to find some form. This will be too much for Sheffield United who will have to wait longer for their first win and will once again falter in front of goal.
PREDICTION: 3-0
WEST HAM V FULHAM
This London derby could also be called the Scott Parker derby because Fulham boss Scott Parker used to play for West Ham as well as Fulham before he became their manager. West Ham have put in some good performances in their last few games and were unlucky to get something at Liverpool last week. They'll be looking to get some more wins under their belt with some favourable fixtures for them coming up after a a tough run of games where they did well to get some points where no one gave them a chance. They'll be hoping to carry their performances from those tough games into the next three and if they can do that, they'll move further up the table for sure. Fulham finally got off the mark with the win over West Brom where they even kept a clean sheet. That clean sheet will give the defenders a lot of confidence going into this one as well as the win because clean sheets can keep you in the league and Scott Parker will be hoping that his side keep another clean sheet in this one.
I'm going for a West Ham win here because Fulham can be vulnerable at the back despite keeping a clean sheet last week. The Hammers may be without Antonio, but they still have players like Bowen, Lanzini and new signing Said Benrahma who can score goals and hurt the opposition with the qualities they have. The Hammers have looked solid at the back in recent weeks and I'm expecting them to be that in this one.
PREDICTION: 2-0
SUNDAY:
WEST BROM V TOTTENHAM
When are West Brom going to get a win? They don't look like scoring goals and if they don't win this one manager Slaven Bilic could be under serious pressure with Charlton boss Lee Bowyer already linked with the job if Bilic was to leave the Hawthorns. The good news for the Baggies is that Spurs haven't won at the Hawthorns in their last three visits with Spurs' last success there coming in 2015 where they won 3-0. West Brom will want to use that if they're to get something out of this one. Spurs got a good win last night against Ludogorets in the Europa League with Harry Kane scoring his 200th Spurs goal to continue his strong start to the season. Gareth Bale got off the mark in the win over Brighton last Sunday which will do him good going into this one and he'll hoping to start as well after starting in mid-week against Ludogorets. If he can score in this one as well, it will give him a lot of confidence going into the next game because goals give you confidence.
I'm going for a Spurs win here because I think Kane and Son will be too much for them because of the way they link up and their movement off the ball. I'm afraid West Brom's wait for a first win back in the Premier League will have to wait.
PREDICTION: 0-3
LEICESTER V WOLVES
Leicester appear to be managing the Europa League distraction really well because they've won their last two games and they've both come after a Europa League game in mid-week. One reason for that could be their strength in depth because if you're to compete on two fronts, you need a good squad depth and Leicester appear to have that with the likes of Cengiz Under, Marc Albrighton and Kelechi Iheanacho all coming in and stepping up when they're needed by the manager. The Foxes do have the likes of Soyuncu and N'Didi out injured, but they're coping pretty well because of the way Brendan Rodgers is managing his squad. Wolves on the other hand are on a good run of form with three wins from their last four and Nuno Espirito Santo has changed the way they play a bit by making them a more possession based team. That was shown in their 2-0 win over Crystal Palace last Friday and Nuno sees that as a way of improving his team and making them a better side. They may have lost two key players in Doherty and Jota, but Wolves are coping well without them as well as Jonny whose been out injured and has also been a key player for Nuno's men.
I'm going for a Leicester win here because they're on a good run of form in all competitions and because they've won every game they've played after a Europa League match, I can see them doing it again. Wolves will make it a close match, but I think Leicester will just edge it with the quality they have in their squad.
PREDICTION: 2-1
MAN CITY V LIVERPOOL
The game of the weekend. Man City have Gabriel Jesus available for them after scoring against Olympiakos in mid-week which is good news because they haven't had a recognised striker available to them for at least a week. Ferran Torres has done a decent job up there and continued his impressive form in the Champions League with another goal for the third straight game in that competition. Pep will probably start with him up top considering that Jesus has only just returned from injury and may use him later in the game. Jurgen Klopp has a decision to make in whether to start Jota over Firmino after the Portuguese scored a hat trick against Atalanta in mid-week. Jota has arguably been one of the signings of the season so far because of the amount of goals he's scored already and the impact he's made on the pitch. I won't be surprised if he starts over Firmino because of the form he's in plus Firmino is not in the best of form himself.
This should be a great game to watch and going with a City win because Liverpool are without Van Dijk. The Dutchman makes a massive difference to Liverpool defensively and without him in this kind of game, I can see City punish Liverpool with the players they have on show like De Bruyne and Sterling. Liverpool will score, but I think City will score more.
PREDICTION: 4-2
ARSENAL V ASTON VILLA
Arsenal are in a good place under Arteta and they finally beat a big six side away from home with the win at Man United last Sunday. Thomas Partey impressed in that game and is looking like a really good signing for them with the performances he's put in since he arrived from Atletico Madrid. He's given their midfield what they haven't had since Patrick Vieira was there and he's the kind of player that Arsenal have been crying out for since Vieira left back in 2004. Joe Willock impressed in mid-week as he scored against Molde in the Europa League. He's impressed in the Europa League this season and if he can continue doing that, it won't be long till he's a regular in this Arsenal team. After a good start, Villa are falling away a bit following defeats to Leeds and Southampton. Jack Grealish is still doing what he does but defensive mistakes are creeping back in and that was shown in the Southampton game when Yannick Vestergaard was left un challenged when he opened the scoring for the Saints and Matt Cash gave Danny Ings a lot of room before he scored. If they lose this one in a similar way, Villa could be asked if they're suffering a hangover from the Liverpool game last month where they were brilliant on that day.
I think Arsenal will win this one because they're looking solid in defence and midfield and with Pierre Emerick Aubameyang in your side, you have every chance of winning a football match. Villa should make it a close game because of the players they have in forward areas. But I think Arsenal will have enough to take the 3 points.
PREDICTION: 2-1
Comments