Seven things to look out for this weekend with Manchester United going for record start and Tottenham could be first team EVER to win first four away games but fail to taste victory at home
Elsewhere, Arsenal and Crystal Palace will look to avoid very unwanted records in a bumper weekend of top-flight action
AFTER yet another dreary, underwhelming international break, the Premier League is set to return with a bang this weekend.
Following the two week hiatus, there are ten games to get ready for in the English top-flight this weekend.
Liverpool and Manchester United are set to get our weekend going with a bang in the Premier League curtain-raiser at 12.30pm on Saturday.
Six further games follow on the day, including games for Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal, plus two Sunday games and one Monday night special.
With that in mind, here are seven incredible things to keep an eye on this weekend...
Liverpool vs Man United
What a way to start the weekend’s action... always lively and always fiery, it’s one of the great games in English football.
If United win they’ll have their best points tally after eight matches of a Premier League season (22), beating the 20-point totals they amassed in 2011/12 and 1999/00.
But they’ll have to plug some serious gaps in their midfield if they’re going to do it with injuries to Michael Carrick, Paul Pogba and Marouane Fellaini.
Weirdly, it’s Fellaini they’ll probably miss most... no, I never thought I’d ever write that either.
Liverpool really need a boost at the moment after some indifferent displays of late, especially defensively.
No Sadio Mane for them – he suffered a hamstring injury playing for Senegal this week – so Jurgen Klopp will be forced into a rethink.
Expect a start for Daniel Sturridge as the Reds seek to end a six match winless run against their arch rivals from up the M62.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: DRAW
Burnley vs West Ham
As it stands Burnley sit one point and two places off the Champions League places... just let that sink in.
Yes, it’s a hell of job that Sean Dyche has done (and is doing) at Turf Moor and the Clarets are now on their longest unbeaten run in their Premier League history (W2, D3, L0).
We’d put money on him being the next England manager when the national team don’t get out of their group in Russia next summer.
It’s a testament to how far they’ve come that they’ll start this match against West Ham as the favourites.
Although the Hammers, off the back of that narrow win they ground out against Swansea last time out, have won their last four league games against Burnley.
We can’t see that happening again this weekend though.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: HOME WIN
Crystal Palace vs Chelsea
So is this the game where Palace finally get a point or even a goal?
Well, there’s a slim chance of the former and a better chance of the latter, not least because Wilfried Zaha has finally declared himself fit.
But all the odds suggest another difficult day at the office for Roy Hodgson’s downtrodden side, even if Chelsea are without their prolific striker Alvaro Morata (hamstring).
Palace have won just one of their previous eight league games the Blues (W1, D1, L6) while Chelsea are the London derby specialists, winning more points (421) in them than any other side in Premier League history.
A win for Chelsea will also make boss Antonio Conte the first Chelsea manager to record two separate winning runs of six or more Premier League away matches too.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: AWAY WIN
Man City vs Stoke
City were on fire before the international break, not literally – that would be dangerous for all concerned.
They’ll be hoping to hit the ground running on their return to the bread and butter of the Premier League.
They should have more than enough to put away a Stoke side not only lacking in consistency, but also without skipper Ryan Shawcross and, possibly, Joe Allen.
They’ve also got a pretty mean defensive record against the Potters too, losing only one of their last nine home league games (W7, D1, L1) and keeping a clean sheet in eight of them.
There’s good news and bad news for City fans too. The good news is that Sergio Aguero is fit again after his recent car crash and could play.
The bad news is that Fabian Delph is fit again too.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: HOME WIN
Swansea vs Huddersfield
There’s always one game every weekend that you’d have difficulty selling to the most rabid of football fans.
We’re not saying it’s this one but… Look on the bright side.
This is the first ever top-flight meeting between these two teams and only the 92nd time ever that a particular fixture has been played in each of the top four divisions.
But it’s not looking great on the entertainment front. Why?
Because Swansea have attempted the fewest shots (46) and shots on target (11) in the Premier League season while Huddersfield have only managed five goals.
Edge of the seat stuff it ain’t.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: DRAW
Spurs vs Bournemouth
Harry Kane might be flying at the moment but it’s high time Tottenham started getting their you know what together at home.
Interestingly, if Spurs fail to win today they’ll become the first team in the history of the Football League to win each of their opening four away games in a season without recording a victory in any of their first four games at home.
That said you’d have to be several studs short of a boot not to lump on Tottenham.
In the four games they’ve played against Bournemouth in the Premier League, they’ve won three, drawn one and plundered 12 goals.
It won’t help the Cherries’ cause that their ex-Spurs striker Jermain Defoe has his worst scoring ratio against any of the 36 teams he’s scored against in the Premier League, averaging a goal every 798 minutes against his old club.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: HOME WIN
Watford vs Arsenal
Watford are a side reborn under Marco Silva.
Mind you, you’d have to be a truly rotten coach not to have improved the side that finished last season so dismally.
Currently enjoying their best ever start to a Premier League campaign (after seven games), the Hornets are looking for back to back wins over Arsenal.
They notched they ended a run of seven straight league defeats in January with a surprise 2-1 at the Emirates.
While the Gunners will have Danny Welbeck and Mesut Ozil back (although whether the latter sees any action is anyone’s guess) they may have some selection issues in defence.
Shkodran Mustafi is out with a thigh injury and Sead Kolasinac and Laurent Koscielny are both struggling to make it.
Handy then that the cat in the hat Petr Cech is in a rich vein of form.
He’s bagged four consecutive clean sheets in the Premier League for the first time in two and a half years.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: DRAW
Brighton vs Everton
After that difficult start to the season, Brighton are starting to find some kind of form.
Defensively they’re solid, especially with Dunk and Duffy in the middle, but their lack of options upfront continue to be an issue, as the away day defeat at the Emirates against Arsenal proved only too well.
But the Seagulls are a much better side on their own patch and they’ll fancy their chances against an Everton side that aren’t exactly pulling up any trees this season.
They’ll also take heart from the fact that Ronald Koeman has only won 18.2% of his Premier League away matches as Everton boss (P22 W4 D7 L11).
Might help that super Chrissy Hughton has lost only one of his five previous matches against Everton as a manager too (W2 D2 L1).
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: DRAW
Southampton vs Newcastle
Here’s a stat to chew on.
Rafa Benitez has been to St. Mary’s on three occasions in the Premier League, each time managing a different side, and on each occasion he’s failed to pick up a single point.
It’s a miserable record that’s compounded by the Magpies’ failure to keep a clean sheet in any of their last 26 top-flight matches against the Saints.
...And the fact that the hosts have won more PL matches in total (15) and at home (12) against Newcastle than they have against any other club.
Only one outcome then? Well, yes as it happens.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: HOME WIN
Leicester v West Brom
Monday night fixtures seem to suit the Foxes.
But while they’ve won four of their last five, it’s not the best day for the Baggies who have just one victory from their previous 11 top-flight away games on a Monday (W1 D4 L6).
Leicester will be buoyed by the return of a fully-fit Jamie Vardy after he skipped international duty to help his hip heal.
He’s got a decent record against West Brom, scoring three times in his last five Premier League games against them.
But you should never underestimate the Baggies.
They may not have won since the second week of the season but they very difficult to beat.
They’re also unbeaten in their last seven away league games against Leicester (W5 D2) and that, if you didn’t know, is their longest run without defeat against them.
You didn’t know that, did you?
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: HOME WIN
