Chelsea are set to battle Arsenal, as Manchester United tackles Everton in this weekend’s round of fixtures, here is a look at how I expect Match Day five to pan out.
BOURNEMOUTH V BRIGHTON
Eddie Howe and his wards are yet to pick a point in the league so far, having seen Crystal Palace fire Frank de Boer over the week, the pressure will start to mount on the Englishman to get results. Bournemouth played well against Man City at home, but a last minute Raheem Sterling strike ruined what was shaping out as their first league point. Meanwhile Brighton will visit, looking to build on their draw at Watford on Match Day three, and last weekend’s triumph over Tony Pulis’ West Brom.
Difficult to call this, but I am trusting Bournemouth to try turn their season around with a win in this fixture at home.
MY PREDICTION: Bournemouth 1-0 Brighton
CRYSTAL PALACE V SOUTHAMPTON
Roy Hodgson appointed after the dismissal of Frank de Boer, would be focused on getting Palace out of their present predicament – which have seen the Eagles failing to muster a point as well as a goal in their four league games so far in the season.
Southampton haven’t been convincing so far in the season too, but they have been able to pick an away point at Huddersfield this campaign.
Teams often impress – when they change managers, so I expect Palace to secure their first win(this campaign) in this one.
MY PREDICTION: Crystal Palace 2-1 Southampton
HUDDERSFIELD V LEICESTER
Newbie Huddersfield were unbeaten in the league until their Match Day four clash against West Ham. They now face another tough opposition in Leicester, and it would be interesting to see how they fare against the former Premier League champions.
MY PREDICTION: Huddersfield 1-1 Leicester
LIVERPOOL V BURNLEY
The Reds were subjected to a 5-0 humiliating defeat at City last time out, and would be looking to quickly correct that – when Sean Dyche and his men visit. They will be without their talismanic forward Sadio Mane – after the Senegalese was shown a straight red for colliding with City’s Ederson. But I still think they have Coutinho who can step into the team and influence things.
Burnley have shown against Tottenham and Chelsea this season that are not one to fear top oppositions – by getting results at those places. Liverpool will be underestimating them at their own peril.
MY PREDICTION: Liverpool 2-1 Burnley
NEWCASTLE V STOKE
Their win against West Ham was all Newcastle needed to turn their season around – as they went on to register a win at Swansea last weekend. And they would be looking to continue in that form against Stoke. But Stoke are on a decent run themselves – having mustered five points from their last three games: defeating Arsenal and drawing Manchester United in the process. It would be a difficult match for both teams, so am envisaging this to end in stalemate.
MY PREDICTION: Newcastle 1-1 Stoke
WATFORD V MAN CITY
Watford are yet to experience defeat in the league, having drawn two and lost two of their four games this season. But they face another side that is unbeaten so far in the league in Manchester City. Though, credit have to go to Burnley for holding their own and ensuring they remain undefeated so far in the league, it is the quality of the oppositions they have faced that also needs to be put into considerations.
City have scored nine goals in their last two fixtures in all competitions. Watford will have to put in a grand performance if they are to get anything from this fixture.
MY PREDICTION: Watford 1-2 Man City
WEST BROM V WEST HAM
Last Match Day saw West Brom record their first defeat in the season against Brighton, while, West Ham recorded their first win and point so far in the season against Huddersfield.
It would be interesting to see how this two pick things up from there – when they clash on Saturday. It’s always difficult to go to West Brom and get a result, so I expect West Brom to win this one marginally.
MY PREDICTION: West Brom 1-0 West Ham
SPURS V SWANSEA
Spurs will try to show that their 3-1 win over Dortmund in midweek at Wembley wasn’t a fluke. And with Harry Kane unstoppable again after August, I expect Spurs to have too much for a struggling Swansea to curtail in this game.
MY PREDICTION: Spurs 2-0 Swansea
CHELSEA V ARSENAL
Ultimately the clash of the week. This is going to be interesting for fans and neutrals to watch – if we don’t get to see any or an early sending off that tends to take the quality off this sort of fixture – as we saw at City last weekend against Liverpool. Arsenal have always found playing at Stamford Bridge difficult – since their 5-3 triumph there in 2011, and I don’t see this Arsenal winning or getting anything there on Sunday. I see a routine Chelsea triumph in this one.
MY PREDICTION: Chelsea 2-1 Arsenal
MAN UTD V EVERTON
José Mourinho would be wanting his team to bounce back to winning ways – when struggling Everton visit on Sunday. Having drawn at Stoke last weekend to end their perfect start to the season, Manchester United will be seeking a win in this one at Old Trafford to maintain their superiority at the top of the table. Meanwhile, Everton have been disappointing – since their draw at City, despite their heavy spending in the window this season. I see nothing other than an emphatic Manchester United win here.
MY PREDICTION: Man Utd 3-0 Everton
