Premier League Matchday 10 preview: Arsenal at home to Liverpool, Man Utd’s trip to Everton and more

Saturday fixtures

Newcastle vs Brentford (7:30 pm IST)
Newcastle appear to have finally been blessed with that much-needed luck to put games to bed. Despite impressing in the league so far they languished at the bottom half of the table until last week. The Magpies put Fulham to the sword on Matchday 9 with a convincing display. Manager Eddie Howe will hope that they can continue this momentum as Brentford visit St. James’s Park this Saturday.

Brentford travel to Tyneside on the back of a disappointing goalless draw at Bournemouth. Thomas Frank’s side will need to be at their very best at St.James’s Park to get the better of a Newcastle side who appear to have found their goal-scoring touch. If both managers decide to go on the offensive this could be a high-scoring affair.

Bournemouth vs Leicester City (7:30 pm IST)
Managerless Bournemouth are four games unbeaten since the 9-0 thrashing by Liverpool, with one win and three draws. The Cherries may not be the free-flowing side they once were under Eddie Howe a few seasons ago, but their new-found defensive stability under interim boss Gary O’Neil could help them beat the drop this season.

Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers was under immense pressure heading into Matchday 9, but his team ran riot over fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest with a thumping 4-0 win. Midfielder James Maddison will hope to continue his rich vein of form for the Foxes on the back of a brace against Forest. However, despite the convincing scoreline against Brentford, their defence was exposed on more than a couple of occasions last week.

Manchester City vs Southampton (7:30 pm IST)
Pep Guardiola's Manchester City mauled their neighbours Manchester United in last week’s derby with a 6-3 victory. Their new star centre forward Erling Haaland has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water. After last week’s hattrick against the bitter rivals, he became the first player in Premier League history to score three consecutive hattricks. His link-up play with both Kevin de Bryune and Phil Foden is a frightening prospect for any defender.

These are worrying days for Southampton fans, if manager Ralph Hasenhüttl and his side do not contain City’s attacking threat it could turn into another one of their annual 9-0 thrashings. Hasenhüttl is also under pressure to turn the fortunes of his Saints side who are currently just two places above the relegation zone. Southampton’s best bet is to win set pieces and let captain James Ward-Prowse deliver with his wand of a right foot.

Chelsea vs Wolves (7:30 pm IST)
New Chelsea boss Graham Potter got his first win last weekend after an eventful trip to Crystal Palace. It was far from a convincing display, but their comfortable midweek win over Italian champions AC Milan in the Champions League will instil the Blues with confidence. Potter will also be glad that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang got on the scoresheet this week, as Chelsea are in desperate need of a 20-goal striker.

Wolves sacked their manager Bruno Lage after last weekend’s defeat against West Ham. Lage would feel hard done by the decision, but modern football is a results business and languishing at 18th in the table does not always bode well for a team that has comfortably finished in the top 10 in three of the last four seasons. Former Real Madrid and Spanish National team boss, Julen Lopetegui, who was sacked by Sevilla on Wednesday following a defeat to Dortmund in the Champions League, is the favourite to replace Lage at the Molineux. A trip to Stamford Bridge this weekend, at a time of crisis, is bad news for Wolves fans.

Brighton vs Tottenham (10:pm IST)
There were concerns that Brighton would struggle after Graham Potter’s departure. But new boss Roberto De Zerbi set up the perfect game plan at Anfield last week as they drew 3-3 away to Liverpool. De Zerbi should also thank Leandro Trossard after the Belgian’s scintillating hattrick last week — the first opposition player to do so at Anfield since Arsenal’s Andrey Arshavin in 2009. De Zerbi’s first home game in charge will be against a wounded Tottenham.

Tottenham boss Antonio Conte must be livid with his team after the disaster at the North London derby last Saturday. A trip to Brighton could be a tricky endeavour for Spurs. They have arguably one of the most lethal attacking frontlines in the league, but Spurs are yet to fully impose themselves on the opposition teams. Conte will hope that Harry Kane and Son Heung-min can reignite their season. Conte will be without suspended Emerson Royal, but Conte is well aware that even with Royal the Spurs right is defensively fragile.

Sunday Fixtures

West Ham vs Fulham (6:30 pm IST)
West Ham appear to have their season up and running. The win over Wolves has eased the pressure on manager David Moyes, and he will be thrilled with new signing Gianluca Scamacca’s performance last weekend. The Italian striker scored a spectacular goal on the half-volley from the edge of the box, and West Ham fans will hope that it is just a sign of things to come. Their midweek win over Belgian side Anderlecht in the Conference League has added momentum to West Ham’s mini-revival.

Fulham on the other hand was flying high in the top half of the table until their 4-1 defeat against Newcastle last week. Marco Silva will find it difficult to break down a well-drilled Hammers on their patch the weekend, but back-to-back defeats will put a halt to any momentum they have built so far this season.

Crystal Palace vs Leeds (6:30 pm IST)
Crystal Palace will rue not being able to get at least a point against Chelsea last week, and probably feel that a few decisions went against them. But Patrick Viera’s men have shown resilience in the past after a defeat and the Selhurst Park home crowd will definitely play a factor as they face Leeds this Sunday.

Leeds are without a win in the league since they beat Chelsea 3-0 way back in August. But Leeds boss Jesse Marsch will take encouragement from last week’s 0-0 draw at home to Aston Villa. Despite being down to 10 men for nearly half the match, Leeds held on against Steven Gerrard’s Villa. They would have to be resilient yet again at Selhurst Park and sharp in the attacking third to put away any chances that might come their way.

Arsenal v Liverpool (9 pm IST)
The Gunners are flying high, and after their derby win over Spurs, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have shown critics that they are not flat-track bullies and that they can beat their top six rivals. They will have to be at their best yet again as Liverpool visit the Emirates this Sunday. And a win against the Reds of Merseyside could firmly establish their credentials as genuine title contenders.

Liverpool have started the season poorly and are 11 points behind Arsenal and are 9th in the table. Their midweek win over Rangers in the Champions League did put an end to a run of poor results but their defence are in shambles. Star centre-back Virgil van Dijk is yet to hit form and right-back Trent Alexander Arnold has been exposed defensively countless times this season. It is a weakness that Arteta will exploit with Gabriel Martinelli on the left, and Liverpool’s midfield is also a cause for concern for Reds boss Jürgen Klopp.

Everton v Manchester United (11:30 pm IST)
Frank Lampard has quietly managed to steady the Everton team with a few important results. While not spectacular, the Toffees appear to have found defensive solidity to help them through the season. But considering that the team is ravaged by injuries, Lampard will hope that the results will significantly improve with a fully fit squad. They face a tricky encounter against Manchester United on Sunday, who have problems of their own.

Manchester United risk another season of heartbreak and despair after just seven games in. Erik ten Hag received a painful dose of a reality check last Sunday by their neighbours Manchester City. But with Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford returning to full fitness, ten Hag will hope that the forwards can find a way through the stubborn Everton defence. Their mid-week Europa League win against minnows Omonia was far from convincing, but ten Hag will take a few positives from their attacking display. Cristiano Ronaldo continued to struggle in front of goal midweek, and it appears age is finally catching up to the 5-time Ballon d'Or winner as he waits for the elusive 700th club career goal.   

Monday fixtures

Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa (12:30 am IST, Tuesday)
Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper is under immense pressure, and anything but a win against Aston Villa could see him relieved of his duties as Forest boss. Their spending spree over the summer has not worked at all so far, and the owners are fully aware that an upturn in form must happen sooner rather than later to avoid relegation and any financial difficulties.

Aston Villa on the other hand will relish the opportunity to play Forest n the late Monday kick-off. Steven Gerrard’s men are on the hunt for a much-needed win but their lack of goals this season has certainly hurt them. Striker Ollie Watkins has just one goal this season and Villa’s hopes to get results could rest entirely on Watkins finding form.

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