The Premier League is getting ready for another blockbuster gameweek of football.
This weekend will see a heavyweight Saturday as Chelsea and Manchester United clash at midday; we also get a huge London derby as West Ham play Spurs at The London Stadium. Sunday sees Everton play Crystal Palace and things round off with Arsenal hosting Leicester on Monday night!
We’ve had a look at the fixtures and had two of the Squawka team come up with predictions:
Chelsea vs Manchester United
Muhammad Butt: Mourinho will bring in Ander Herrera to man-mark Eden Hazard again, he’ll probably sit someone on Jorginho too. It’ll work, but like during the FA Cup final one of his defenders will concede a penalty, letting Hazard decide things. 1-0 Chelsea.
Evan Smith: Well, Mourinho has lost all three games at Stamford Bridge as Man Utd manager and the last time Chelsea lost at home to United in the league was six years ago. He’s had a full two weeks to plan a counter for Sarriball, though, so will probably nick a point. 1-1 draw.
PLAYER TO WATCH: EDEN HAZARD
Wolves vs Watford
MB: Wolves are on a roll, starting to figure things out under Nuno Espirito Santo. With Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho running the show, it’s hard to see a listless Watford (winless in five!) getting anything from Molineux. 1-0 Wolves.
ES: Wolves have conceded fewer goals than any other team outside the top three (6); what’s more is they’ve kept a clean sheet in half their Premier League matches so far. Meanwhile, Watford haven’t scored for 268 minutes, so expect a home win. 2-0 Wolves.
PLAYER TO WATCH: RUBEN NEVES
Cardiff vs Fulham
MB: Cardiff are demonstrably terrible, but they showed against Spurs that they can drag you down to their level. Fulham are a wonderful attacking side but they give up so many easy chances you can see Cardiff punishing them. 1-1 draw.
ES: Fulham have conceded more goals than any other side in the Premier League (21), but conversely Cardiff have scored the joint-fewest (4). Fulham do play a more adventurous style of football and should turn their form around and win here against a Cardiff team who have failed to beat their former Championship rivals in their last seven attempts, of which the west London side won three. 0-2 Fulham.
PLAYER TO WATCH: DANNY WARD
West Ham vs Spurs
MB: West Ham may have beaten Manchester United, but let’s be honest, anyone can do that. Brighton brought them back to earth with a bump and you can believe Spurs will drive them into the ground thanks to Harry Kane. 1-3 Spurs.
ES: Kane has scored seven in the last seven vs West Ham in the league, but he’s currently averaging 3.26 shots per 90, a little over two shots less than last season. His changing role and injuries keeping Dele Alli out and leaving Eriksen doubtful, West Ham can get a point here. 1-1 draw.
PLAYER TO WATCH: HARRY KANE
Newcastle vs Brighton
MB: Newcastle blew Manchester United away before getting too comfortable defending and invited a Red Devils comeback. They won’t make that mistake and give Brighton a rough time up north, though will only just sneak a win. 1-0 Newcastle.
ES: It’s a well-known fact that Brighton struggle to win away in the Premier League, having gone 17 Premier League matches without doing so. Newcastle can take positives from their first-half performance against Manchester United to pick up their first win of the season. 2-1 Newcastle.
PLAYER TO WATCH: AYOZE PEREZ
Manchester City vs Burnley
MB: This should be an absolute massacre. Burnley have had a lot of prep time but City are vastly superior and will have a fully-rested Sergio Aguero raring to go. Pep’s men will have to work for it, for sure, but they’ll get their goals and then some. 4-0 City.
ES: With Burney winless against Man City in the Premier League, Aguero’s six-goals-in-six-games record against this weekend’s opponents, and Raheem Sterling bang in form after his England goals, it’s hard to see anything other than a home win. 3-0 Man City.
PLAYER TO WATCH: RAHEEM STERLING
Bournemouth vs Southampton
MB: Bournemouth are on a roll and Southampton appear to be struggling, but the Saints were a couple of dodgy finishes away from actually upsetting Chelsea in their last match. They’ll park it, stifle the Cherries and steal the south coast derby on the break. 0-1 Southampton.
ES: 14 goals in their last four Premier League matches demonstrates the potent attack Bournemouth have and can be expected to cause Southampton more problems than they can cope with. A home win for the Cherries incoming. 3-1 Bournemouth.
PLAYER TO WATCH: SHANE LONG
Huddersfield vs Liverpool
MB: It’s been an interesting, if injury-ridden, international break for Liverpool’s famous front three (Sadio Mané broke his thumb!) but now they’re reunited one can expect them to steamroller Huddersfield and get Liverpool back to winning ways. 0-4 Liverpool.
ES: Huddersfield have failed to score in any of their previous four home games this season and it doesn’t get any easier when they play the side who have conceded the joint-fewest (3). Even with some fitness doubts for Liverpool, they should win this; last season they beat the Terriers 3-0 in both league matches. 0-2 Liverpool.
PLAYER TO WATCH: ROBERTO FIRMINO
Everton vs Crystal Palace
MB: There’s a lot to like about this Everton side but they look a bit vulnerable at times. Palace really struggle to score without Wilf Zaha, but Roy Hodgson is a man who knows how to stabilise the ship with a boring, soulless draw. Count on that. 0-0 draw.
ES: Palace have lost each of the 11 Premier League games Wilfried Zaha has missed since the start of last season, and if his unfortunate injury during the break keeps him out, this fixture is an almost foregone conclusion. 2-0 Everton.
PLAYER TO WATCH: MAMADOU SAKHO
Arsenal vs Leicester
MB: This match has been tremendously entertaining in the past, and you can expect that trend to continue here. Claude Puel will try, and fail, to stifle Arsenal’s irresistible attack, but he will be able to get at the Gunners’ gaping defence to keep the fixture exciting. 4-3 Arsenal.
ES: With two wins from their last three away games, Leicester can build on this away form as well as Jamie Vardy’s record against the ‘big six’. Vardy’s six goals in seven games against Arsenal make Leicester a threat to cause an upset, nabbing an unexpected point. 2-2 draw.
PLAYER TO WATCH: JAMIE VARDY
The post Premier League predictions: We’ve called all 10 games this weekend – scorelines, show-stealers and stats appeared first on Squawka News.
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