:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69940797/1344075799.0.jpg)
Last weekend we were treated to two big matches. Well, this weekend we might just have the biggest of the season. Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool welcomes title-holders Man City to Anfield in the blockbuster clash of the weekend. The top of the table title bout will draw the curtain on the Premier League matches for the weekend before players travel to represent their countries in World Cup qualifiers.
Saturday
Man United v Everton
Man United welcomes Everton to Old Trafford off the back of a morale boosting last minute Champions League victory over Villareal. The Red Devils suffered their first defeat of the EPL season last week, falling at home to Aston Villa, but they will be buoyed by the manner of their come from behind victory in the Champions League.
Everton sits just one position behind United in the table, both teams tied on 13 points and separated only by goals. Everton has started the season well despite still adapting to the style of new manager Rafa Benitez. The Toffees have won four, while drawing one and losing one in six games.
Prediction 2 - 1
Burnley v Norwich
Burnley and Norwich face off in the Premier League bottom of the table clash. Six games into the season, these two currently occupy the 19th and 20th positions, both winless. This could decide who stays up or goes down at the season. Burnley comes into this fixture in slightly better form, having managed two draws while Norwich is yet to secure its first point this season. Norwich’s leaky defense has conceded a league high 16 goals, so we should be treated to a couple in the fixture.
Prediction: 2 - 0
Chelsea v Southampton
Chelsea faces Southampton in a fixture one would have previously predicted as an easy win for the Blues. But a drop in form and defeat in their last two games has thrown this fixture wide open. They went through their first five League games without a loss, but the league loss to Man City and CL loss to Juventus will have rocked their confidence.
The Saints are currently 16th in the table with only four points to show for their efforts this season. The points tally doesn’t do justice to how solid they’ve been in certain fixtures against the big sides. They pushed Man United to the wall, and Man City failed to score at the Etihad. Southampton will need another one of those defensively astute performances to have a chance of taking anything out of this fixture.
Prediction: 3 - 0
Leeds v Watford
Leeds welcomes Watford to Elland Road in a fixture expected to produce a lot of goalmouth action, both teams known for their attacking style of play rather than defensive solidity. Leeds will be looking to kickstart what has been a very disappointing season that has seen them pick up just three points of a possible 18. The Marcelo Bielsa led side is yet to claim a win this season, the team failing to recreate the kind of high pressing, full throttle style of play that earned them an impressive top ten finish last season.
Watford on the other hand has begun the season on a more impressive note. The newly promoted side is currently 12th with seven points from a possible 18.
Prediction: 2 - 2
Wolves v Newcastle
Watching Raul Jiminez finally score his first goal since his horrible head injury was a beautiful sight to behold. Wolves have struggled to put the ball in the back of the net in his absence, and the Jiminez goal against Southampton helped Wolves secure their second win of the season, the team still struggling to adapt to the tactics of new manager Bruno Lage.
Newcastle manager Steve Bruce has come under heavy pressure this season as the club currently occupies 17th. The club has failed to secure a win in six games, with only three draws to show for their effort.
Prediction: 1 - 1
Brighton v Arsenal
The Seagulls’ last-minute equalizer against Crystal Palace moved them to 6th, just one point behind #1 Liverpool. Graham Potter’s side began the season in very impressive fashion, picking up 13 points of a possible 18. Arsenal has recovered from a catastrophic start that lost the first three games of the season without scoring a goal. The Gunners have turned their Premier League season around by securing victories in the next three games to rise to an impressive 10th place. The way the Gunners outran, outwitted and outplayed Spurs in last week’s North London derby was particularly impressive, Mikel Arteta’s side scoring three goals in the first 40 minutes.
Prediction: 0 - 2
Sunday
Crystal Palace v Leicester
Leicester travels to Selhurst Park aiming to grab a third win. The Foxes have had an inconsistent season that has seen them win two, lose three and draw one. They might be paying a toll for their additional matches in this season’s Europa League. Players like Maddison, Barnes and Tielemans have yet to hit top form.
Crystal Palace sits two places and one point behind Leicester. The Eagles have won one, drawn three and lost two. They’ll have the advantage of an extra three or four days of rest going into this fixture.
Prediction: 2 - 1
Tottenham v Aston Villa
Tottenham comes into this fixture off the back of a hugely damaging North London derby loss against Arsenal. Spurs’ began their season in impressive fashion, winning their first three games in three shutouts, but they’ve somehow nosedived to lose the next three (we should closely examine match video to see if Tottenham and Arsenal swapped squads!). The North London side will be eager to return to winning ways as clubs prepare for the busy festive period.
Aston Villa shocked Man United at Old Trafford by securing a 1-0 victory against the Ole Gunner Solksjear led side. Aston Villa sits 7th with ten points, one ahead of Tottenham on nine. Aston Villa has begun well despite losing talisman Jack Grealish to Man City.
Prediction: 1 - 1
West Ham v Brentford
Another of Premier League’s Europa League contingent, West Ham welcomes high flying Brentford to London Stadium. Hammer Michail Antonio has been one of the standout players this season with five goals in five games (tied with 10th-place Arsenal — yes, the whole team). West Ham’s last minute victory over Leeds last week lifted the London based club to 7th with eleven points.
Surprise team of the season Brentford has shocked the big sides in the league this season. The Bees showed us that their opening day victory over Arsenal wasn’t a fluke, since going toe to toe with Liverpool to secure a 3-all draw. They’ve impressed on both defense and attack and are currently 9th with nine points.
Prediction: 1 - 1
Liverpool v Man City
Liverpool welcomes title-holding Man City to Anfield in one of the biggest games of the Premier League season. The clash is expected to be a fire-cracker with both teams looking to take points off the other in a bid to gain an early edge in the title race. The tie is made more mouthwatering by the fact that the teams currently occupy the first and second positions in the league, which means a winner will claim the top spot as we head into the international break.
Liverpool coms into this fixture in a slightly more confident mood as the Reds swept aside FC Porto in impressive fashion in the Champions League while Pep Guardiola’s Citizens slumped to a 2-0 defeat against Paris Saint Germain.
Prediction: 3 - 1
What are your predictions for this game-week? Whom do you think will win the battle of the titans between Liverpool and Man City? Whom do you think will be the star player of this round of fixtures? Will there be upsets? Please let us know in the comments below!
~
Loading comments...