
Newcastle United vs. Arsenal
Bournemouth vs. Manchester City
Ipswich vs. Leicester
As the league table is beginning to take shape, it’s becoming increasingly clear that 18th-place Ipswich is in genuine danger of relegation unless a turnaround happens quickly. 15th-place Leicester aren’t safe themselves, with there being a five-point gap between the two. Last weekend, Ipswich lost in heartbreaking fashion to Brentford at the last minute, 4-3. Leicester City also had a tough time out against Nottingham Forest losing 3-1, thanks to an inspiring display from Forest striker Chris Wood. While Leicester has had positive performances, having to increasingly rely on an aging Jamie Vardy will not be sustainable.
Liverpool vs. Brighton
Liverpool face Brighton for the second time in four days after they faced off in the EFL Cup midweek. Liverpool’s 2-2 result away against Arsenal will surely be viewed with some sense of positivity, as the margins in the game could have easily swung either way. Alexis Mac Allister is set to face his former club after transferring to the Reds from Brighton.
Brighton have had a fantastic start to the new season, winning four games, drawing four, and losing only one. Although they had a disappointing 2-2 draw against Wolves, they had two incredible results with victories over Newcastle and Tottenham the weeks prior. Even more good news for Brighton is the fact that Liverpool is traditionally a team they’ve experienced joy against, having beaten them in the FA Cup and just a few weeks prior to that winning 3-0 in the league. Since then, however, both sets of teams have hired new managers with new styles of play. Regardless, this will be a tricky fixture for the Reds.
Nottingham Forest vs. West Ham
Southampton vs. Everton
Southampton find themselves dead last in the Premier League table after giving a good defensive performance against Manchester City at the Etihad, although ultimately losing 1-0. Southampton now look primed to go right back down into the Championship, and an upcoming match against fellow relegation candidates Everton will be huge for the Saints in their bid for survival. Southampton have lost seven of their first eight Premier League games, and Everton are unbeaten in their last four and have kept a clean sheet in their last two. Southampton will find it difficult under a buoyed Sean Dyche side — especially one that looks like has finally hit their stride.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Crystal Palace
Tottenham vs Aston Villa
Tottenham Hotspur have been expected to finish in the top 4 this season, and so far find themselves languishing in 8th after a disappointing 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace last weekend. Aston Villa meanwhile are currently in 3rd and have continued their fantastic form that saw them finish in the Champions League places last season — where they are also experiencing a surprise run. Spurs badly need a win here in order to get back on track under Ange Postecoglou, and frankly, we’re not sure they can pull it off, especially considering their wishy-washy form in the Premier League. Their most impressive win so far was 3-0 against a weak Manchester United side, and their failure to gain any significant momentum despite their generous fixture list is a worrying sign for Spurs.
Manchester United vs Chelsea
The marquee match-up of the weekend has seen a major twist in that Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has been sacked just before this match, meaning interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy will man the dugout for the Red Devils. Whether or not the fabled “new manager bounce” will impact the result remains to be seen, as it is always a wild card on how a team plays following the sacking of a manager. Regardless, Chelsea, and specifically Cole Palmer, are clicking under Enzo Maresca. They beat Newcastle United 2-1 last weekend thanks to a Palmer strike, and will now face the tests of Manchester United and Arsenal in quick succession. The atmosphere at Old Trafford may be more down than usual, considering the uncertainty surrounding the club which could actually play into Chelsea’s hands