3 minute read
Only two points separates the top five after six rounds. Four of those five are at home and all are favoured to collect three points to maintain pressure on leaders Liverpool who travel to Palace.
Most eyes will be on Villa Park – an unfavourable result for Man U is tipped to be the final nail in Ten Hag's coffin. The game with most appeal to neutral observers is Brighton v Tottenham who both play very high defensive lines and attractive attacking football.
No matches next weekend due to the international break.
CRYSTAL PALACE v LIVERPOOL
History: Palace stunned Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield towards the end of last season, ending a run of 14 without success. The Reds have not lost at Selhurst Park since 2014.
Form: Palace slipped into the bottom three when they gave away a lead to lose 2-1 at Everton. They remain winless, a massive disappointment after the glory of the final ten weeks of 23/24. The goals have dried up, and it doesn't get any easier here as they face the side with the best defensive record in the league.
Liverpool has put the shock loss to Forest behind them with five consecutive wins in all competitions, scoring 15 times and conceding just three in that run. It has been a dream start for Slot, but it is true that the Reds have not been tested against quality opposition yet. After this, they have Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton, Villa and Man City in the next six rounds. We'll know after that how they are really travelling.
Overview: It's generally an unkind fixture for Palace and on current form it would be a brave man to tip they can get anything from this game.
Prediction: Liverpool win at $1.50.
ARSENAL v SOUTHAMPTON
History: At Highbury/Emirates, the Gunners has not lost to Southampton in 21 Premier League meetings. The last Southampton win in the league away from home was in 1987.
Form: The Gunners looked to be in cruise mode before a brace by James Justin early in the second half scared the life out of the home side. Two goals deep in stoppage time spared the blushes, but it is fair to say they deserved three points. A mature display midweek to dispose of PSG in the Champions League should have Arteta's side in a good frame of mind for this clash.
Southampton's defensive woes continued at Bournemouth, conceding three in the first half to basically put them out of the contest. It was a better second half effort, which they won 1-0, but a maiden win looks a long way off unless they get their house in order at the back.
Overview: Arsenal hosts a newly promoted side for the second weekend in a row. It's doubtful Southampton will cause them as many problems as the Foxes.
Prediction: Arsenal win at $1.14.
BRENTFORD v WOLVES
History: Strangely, Brentford has not beaten Wolves in their last six home games in all competitions. Both meetings last season in the league resulted in comfortable wins for the away sides.
Form: Brentford became the first side in EPL history, and I'll wager English football history full stop, to score inside 45 seconds three weeks in a row. They did it again against West Ham last weekend, but the worrying thing for Thomas Frank is that a second goal is not forthcoming. Troop numbers are down which makes it tough, but their run until the end of November doesn't look too bad so they should keep clear of danger.
Wolves will breathe a sigh of relief to only have Brentford to face this weekend. Five losses from six looks bad, but they have been against Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle, Villa, and Liverpool. Only a second half rout by Chelsea saw them really dominated, so as we've said for a few weeks, they aren't going as poorly as some are making out.
Overview: Hard one to pick with Wolves clearly the more desperate of the two. Wolves have played away four times this season in all competitions and scored four times, so they are capable of competing.
Prediction: Draw at $3.60.
LEICESTER v BOURNEMOUTH
History: The first six EPL meetings between these sides yielded five draws, but none in the last six. Home ground has been a big advantage of late, with three points going that way in five of the last six.
Form: Like the other two promoted sides, Leicester awaits their first win of the season but there are green shoots. Scoring twice at the Emirates is no mean feat – Justin's volley to square things up was technically exquisite. There is plenty to like about how they are going about things. Their three losses have been against sides currently in the top six, and the only defeat by more than a goal was the Arsenal match, which turned very late. They have the quality and experience to stay up.
Bournemouth dominated Southampton in the first half but looked a bit shaky at times when the Saints got one back. It was a much-needed win after a couple of losses without scoring against highflyers. However, even in defeat, the Cherries have looked dangerous and probably should have collected something from their Chelsea loss.
Overview: I think Bournemouth on the road is potentially at risk. Everton dominated them for 85 minutes at Goodison which isn't a good sign. Leicester showed great maturity to come from two behind at Arsenal. They are a huge chance in this one with noisy home ground support.
Prediction: Leicester to win at $3.10.
MANCHESTER CITY v FULHAM
History: A remarkable 16 consecutive wins for City against Fulham in all competitions. Fulham last took a point in this match-up in 2011, and last defeated City in 2009.
Form: City looked human at St James' Park last weekend and Newcastle had their chances to get more than a point from the game. Guardiola has rightly stated that Rodri is irreplaceable, and it will show as the campaign wears on. Back at their fortress against a side that hasn't landed a glove against them for a very long time is the fixture they need, as was a soft midweek win in the Champions League against Bratislava.
Fulham might have been lucky to get all three points at Forest last weekend but there is no denying that Marco Silva has his team playing great football. Just the one defeat, an unlucky one at that on opening day, sees them flying high. After this one and Villa in round 8, it's a soft run of four games so fans can expect the Cottagers to be still around the top seven or eight come December.
Overview: City is virtually unstoppable at home. Despite their fine deeds to date, Fulham won't get anything out of this one, particularly with the hosts staring down the barrel of a rare third straight game without a win.
Prediction: Manchester City win at $1.25.
WEST HAM v IPSWICH
History: No meetings between these clubs since January 2012.
Form: West Ham recovered from a slow start at Brentford to grab a desperately needed point. It's the slow starts that have become a Hammers trademark. They still look a yard behind any opposition they have faced so far, and defensively Lopetegui hasn't settled on his formation. I suspect things will improve as the squad gels, but no points from three home games is a worst ever start and needs to be corrected immediately.
Ipswich was most impressive against Villa and deserved their point. Given the form of the visitors either side of that match, it is a result dripping with merit. Delap is a gun; his second goal right off the top shelf. Just two losses, to City and Liverpool, is a positive start for the Tractor Boys and if this form continues, they can consolidate their place in the top-flight.
Overview: Ipswich possesses the vitality and aggression to bother West Ham, who possess neither trait at the moment. It's hard to imagine the Hammers losing four on the bounce at home, but it's hard to see them winning too many any time soon either.
Prediction: Draw at $3.80.
EVERTON v NEWCASTLE
History: A mixed bag of late, with Newcastle slightly better off in the past five seasons. However, the last clash at Goodison was a resounding 3-0 win to the Toffees.
Form: After surrendering leads in three straight games, it was Everton's turn to come from behind and grab a long-awaited maiden win last weekend. A couple of cracking goals from the underrated Dwight McNeil sealed the comeback. The Toffees have been playing well for large portions of their games without reward, so to do a 180 against Palace was a confidence booster. I think they lack the quality to pull away from a relegation scrap any time soon, but a fully focussed 90 minutes every week will be a big help.
Newcastle turned their worst performance of the year against Fulham into a high point at home to City last weekend. They were good value for their point and had moments where a win looked possible. With Isak and Wilson highly unlikely to play, things look a bit thin at the top end of the park. Three very tough fixtures follow after the international break, so if they are to stay within striking distance of the top six they must win this.
Overview: There was a bit to like about Everton's spirit to come from behind, albeit against and out-of-sorts Palace. Newcastle don't travel well, so this looks tight.
Prediction: Draw at $3.60.
ASTON VILLA v MANCHESTER UTD
History: Given the success Villa has enjoyed in the past two seasons, this hasn't been a great encounter for them, with Man U winning the last four games in all competitions. Since the turn of the century, Villa has conquered Man U just three times in 50 clashes.
Form: Dropping a couple of points after looking in control at Ipswich cost Emery's side the top spot on the table. However, the Villains turned it around midweek with the most famous win since European Cup success in the early 1980's, defeating the might of Bayern Munich 1-0 at a raucous Villa Park. There is so much quality to this squad, with Watkins, Rogers, Bailey, Ramsey, Tielemans and Duran a fearsome attacking force. Throw in possibly the world's best keeper and you have a side capable of going a long way in whatever it contests this season.
On the flipside, Man U is a train wreck going nowhere. None of the squad, with the possible exception of Mainoo and Fernandez, would get a run in any of the top four sides. The capitulation at home to Tottenham, which was well underway before Bruno's send-off, was alarming. They conceded three yet again in a midweek Europa League draw at Porto. There is an expectation amongst their fans of success but is sobering that the 18 championships the club has collected since WW2 have come under just two managers, the great Scots Busby and Ferguson. Until another goliath is in the dug-out, more midtable mediocrity will follow.
Overview: Villa will feel bullet-proof after disposing of Bayern. At home, the Holte end is indeed their 12th man. On face value they look specials to give Man U another miserable afternoon, but three wins from that last 50 meetings is a bit hard to ignore completely.
Prediction: Aston Villa win at $2.20.
CHELSEA v NOTTINGHAM FOREST
History: In the two seasons since Forest's return to the top-flight, the scorecard is locked at a win apiece, and two draws.
Form: The Chelsea experiment took another giant leap last weekend when they put away Brighton 4-2 in easily the match of the season so far, and one of the best in recent memory. It was the Cole Palmer show – the first player in EPL history to score four times before the break. He also hit the post and was pulled back for a close offside call, so it was almost six! The Blues have a real swagger and are devastating pressing forward from their own half. If they could cut out some defensive wobbles, which were on show against the Seagulls, they can really bother the top three.
Forest tasted defeat for the first time last weekend at the hands of an impressive Fulham outfit but were a bit stiff not to get a point. The key to better performances this season has been defence, conceding just five times in six games after averaging 1.76 last season. There is plenty of attacking quality there too. A win at Anfield showed they can get the job done away from the City Ground, so 24/25 looks a lot more stable for Nuno's boys.
Overview: Chelsea looks relentless at times. Forest will dig in and make it tough, but it's hard to see them stopping the Blues from scoring two or three.
Prediction: Chelsea win at $1.45.
BRIGHTON v TOTTENHAM
History: Only one draw in 14 all-time EPL meetings between these teams. Overall, the ledger is leaning Tottenham's way with seven wins in the last ten matches in all competitions.
Form: Brighton felt the full force of the Blue wave at Stamford Bridge last weekend. They managed a couple of their own in a scintillating first half, but in the end a first loss of the campaign was inevitable thanks to Cole Palmer's brilliance. The last two home games in the league have been a shade disappointing – draws to Ipswich and Forest. They have conceded eight times in their last three games in all competitions which is a bit of a concern, particularly with the visit of a side that is starting to click in that department.
Spurs made Man U look third rate at Old Trafford on their way to the most impressive win of this campaign. It was followed up by a crucial away win in the Europa League at Ferencvaros. Ange has attacking options all over the park. Van De Venn's assist for Johnson's goal was as good an incursion by a centre-half from his own territory that you will see this season. Solanke is starting to score; he's no Harry Kane but will get the job done.
Overview: It will be interesting to watch two sides who play the highest lines in the league collide. The goals should flow.
Prediction: Tottenham win at $2.20.
SUGGESTED WAGERS
Leicester to win: 1 unit at $3.10.
Aston Villa to win: 2 units at $2.20.
Brighton/Tottenham over 3.5 goals: 2 units at $2.00.
