Saturday: Everton v Chelsea (3.30pm kick-off UAE)
Everton maintained their unbeaten record after a 2-2 stalemate at Hull City last weekend, with the Merseysiders’ fourth draw in six matches leaving them in fifth place on 10 points.
Chelsea ended a three-game run without a win by trouncing Bournemouth 5-1 at Stamford Bridge – with Jordan Henderson and Joao Pedro both bagging a brace – and are also on 10 points.
Prediction: Everton 1 Chelsea 2
Brentford v Liverpool (6pm)
Brentford have an identical record to Everton – two wins and four draws – but hold fourth spot thanks to a superior goal difference. The Bees earned a point at Aston Villa on Saturday thanks to Kristoffer Ajer’s late leveller.
Liverpool fell to a chastening 3-0 home thumping by Manchester City at Anfield last week, a defeat sparked by Ryan Gravenberch’s red card, ending their unbeaten record and dropping them down to ninth in the table. Andoni Iraola’s side picked themselves up by thrashing LASK 6-3 in the Uefa Champions League on Wednesday when £123 million summer signing Bradley Barcola scored a hat-trick – his first goals for the club.
Prediction: Brentford 2 Liverpool 2
Fulham v Hull City (6pm)
The pressure continues to mount on Fulham manager Alvaro Arbeloa who is still without a win following their 2-1 loss at Ipswich Town, despite his team leading with just two minutes left. The Cottagers are bottom of the table with two points.
Hull’s draw with Everton means the Tiger remain in the top half of the table, although they have gone four matches without victory now. They are ninth in the standings, but just one point outside the top four.
Prediction: Fulham 1 Hull 3
Manchester City v Ipswich Town (6pm)
Table-topping City silenced a baying Anfield crowd last weekend, coming away with a convincing victory and maintaining their perfect record of nine wins in nine games. They were brought back down to earth midweek when Champions League title-holders Paris Saint-Germain came away from the Etihad Stadium with a 4-2 victory.
Ipswich sealed their third win in six matches by defeating Fulham thanks to late goals from Abdoul Ouattara and Dara O’Shea leaving Gary O’Neil’s team in 10th place.
Prediction: Man City 3 Ipswich 0
Man City beat Liverpool – in pictures
Newcastle United v Aston Villa (8.30pm)
Newcastle fell to second successive Monday night battering on their travels this week having lost 4-1 to both Leeds and Coventry. The Magpies have now conceded 13 goals, the joint worst defensive record in the top-flight, and drop down to 11th spot.
Villa’s draw with Brentford means they still only have one league win to their name and sit in 16th place. Unai Emery’s side hit their stride on Wednesday, thrashing Fenerbahce 6-0 at Villa Park with Nicolas Jackson and Ross Barkley both scoring twice.
Prediction: Newcastle 2 Villa 2
Sunday: Bournemouth v Sunderland (5pm)
Marco Rose’s tough start as Bournemouth manager hit a new low last week with a heavy loss at Chelsea meaning the Cherries are still waiting for their first league win this season. In the Europa League on Thursday, Bournemouth won 3-0 against Sturm Graz at the Vitality Stadium.
Sunderland’s home defeat against Brighton means the Black Cats have lost three successive league games and took just a single point from a possible 12. They are one point and one place outside the bottom three. Roger le Bris’s side travelled to Portuguese outfit Torreense in the Europa League on Thursday and won 2-1.
Prediction: Bournemouth 1 Sunderland 0
Brighton v Crystal Palace (5pm)
Third-place Brighton are looking to win their fourth league game on the spin having defeated Sunderland 2-0 with Maxim de Cuyper and Jaouen Hadjam providing the goals. The Seagulls opened their Europa Conference League campaign on Thursday against Lithuanian side Kauno Zalgiris, winning 4-0 on the south coast.
Palace earned their second win of the campaign by beating Nottingham Forest 3-1 at Selhurst Park last weekend and have now lost just once in four games. The Eagles were away to Lyon in the Europa League on Thursday and lost 3-2.
Prediction: Brighton 2 Palace 0
Leeds United v Manchester United (5pm)
Leeds fell to their first defeat of the season last time out when they were beaten 2-1 at Arsenal but Daniel Farke’s team remain just a point outside the top four and it should be a bouncing atmosphere at Elland Road on Sunday.
The alarm bells are ringing loudly at Old Trafford with United having won just once in six league games, drawing their previous two despite the opposition being down to 10 men in both of them. Lisandro Martinez added fuel to the fire after the midweek Champions League loss at Atletico Madrid with his public criticism of the club.
Prediction: Leeds 3 Man United 1
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal (7.30pm)
Forest manager Oliver Glasner suffered a miserable return to previous club Palace last week and is looking to avoid a third successive defeat. They have managed just one win this season and taken one point from three games at the City Ground.
Champions Arsenal recovered from their loss at Brighton by earning a comeback victory against Leeds with substitute Bruno Guimaraes scoring the winner. A 3-0 Champions League win over Lille followed midweek with Bukayo Saka scoring one and setting up another.
Prediction: Forest 1 Arsenal 3
Monday: Tottenham Hotspur v Coventry City (11pm)
Tottenham are still waiting for their first victory after drawing with Manchester United last time out with Dominic Solanke earning Robert de Zerbi’s 10 men a late point. Spurs have drawn three and lost three so far.
Coventry have now won two on the trot after beating Nottingham Forest and Newcastle which ended a run of four defeats.
Prediction: Spurs 2 Coventry 1
