Sport
Premier League 1X2 Pick 10 preview
Nottingham Forest v Liverpool
A battling display to earn a point at Brighton will have delighted Steve Cooper and he’ll have been even more pleased to earn just a second clean sheet of the season. It was very much a backs-to-the-wall approach from Forest but one that showed they can recover quickly from disappointing defeats such as their previous game at Molineux. However, there are still major issues scoring goals and they now have just 1 goal in their last 4 games.
Liverpool showed that those writing them off may have done so prematurely in beating Man City last weekend. A much-improved performance, particularly from Van Dijk alongside Joe Gomez’s best performance in a Liverpool shirt, has got Liverpool fans purring again. After their midweek victory against West Ham, they sit 4 points outside the top 4 and with this game and Leeds up next, they’ll be looking to get themselves back amongst title contention.
Liverpool have had their troubles this season but not nearly as badly as Forest and it’s hard to see past an away win here.
Man City v Brighton
City had a bit of a reality check last weekend as Klopp once again got the better of Pep, a result that looked a long way off based on the two teams form coming into the game. They can point towards some bad luck after Foden’s goal was chalked off but four points behind Arsenal, they’ll be keen for that gap to be no bigger come the break for the World Cup. They’ve had a week off here and will surely come out firing from the off against Brighton.
For all of their positive play under De Zerbi, Brighton will have been incredibly frustrated to have drawn a third consecutive blank against Forest midweek. The possession play has been admirable but a return of just one point from games against Brentford and Nottingham Forest and zero goals when these sided have conceded 40 goals between them this season will have Seagulls fans scratching their heads. Their task at the Etihad is a daunting one, made no easier by their record here since their debut at the top table where they’ve lost all on all 5 visits with an aggregate score of 13-1.
City will be desperate to get back to winning ways after their defeat at Anfield and having had a week off to prepare and Brighton’s new style playing into their hands somewhat, they should be comfortable here.
Everton v Crystal Palace
Having looked to have turned a corner, Everton have come unstuck with three defeats in a row although these have all come against sides in the top 6. The manner of the loss at Newcastle last time out will have worried Lampard more than the result itself as they went down with a whimper managing just one shot in 90 minutes despite being behind for an hour. There was some positivity in a first league start since May for Dominic Calvert-Lewin and the Toffees will need a return to his goalscoring form from 2020/2021 if they are to make more progress.
As expected, Palace’s recent run of fixtures against teams forecast to be in the lower reaches of the table has yielded much more positive results. The victory over Wolves makes it 7 points from a possible 9 following their dull 0-0 at Leicester last weekend. Where they were previously struggling for goals, Odsonne Edouard and Eberechi Eze have found their shooting boots, adding four goals between them in their last 4 games to aid Zaha in the goalscoring stakes. This a fixture which normally brings goals with 13 in the last three heads to heads and so the Eagles will be confident of adding more to their tally here.
Everton’s poor form can be largely put down to the quality of the opposition in their recent games and I’m backing them to stop the rot with a point here.
Chelsea v Man Utd
Chelsea continue to make headway under the stewardship of Graham Potter and victory over Aston Villa made it 5 wins in a row in all competitions. The 0-0 draw at Brentford will have frustrated them but it was a 5th clean sheet in a row and all the signs are there that they are building the defensive solidity that Potter demands. Having comfortably seen off AC Milan twice, this can be considered Potter’s first real big test and should they get the victory, it may be time to consider the Blues as genuine title contenders once more.
United appear much more settled into Erik Ten Hag’s system and this was evidenced well in their midweek performance against Tottenham. The Red Devils peppered Hugo Lloris’ goal with 28 shots and completely controlled a Spurs side who had only tasted defeat once this season. They now need to find some consistency to cement a challenge to the top four. One player who could be key to this could be Bruno Fernandes who looked back to his brilliant best midweek.
The last four meetings between these two sides have ended in a stalemate and this is sure to be another tight affair. However, Chelsea’s defensive record under Potter has been so good that I’m backing them to win this by a solitary goal.
Wolves v Leicester
At the time of writing, the search for a new boss continues for Wolves with rumours suggesting a move for QPR’s Mick Beale could be on the cards. They did claim a rare victory over fellow strugglers Forest last weekend but it was back to the familiar feeling of defeat away at Palace midweek although this game did see them score in consecutive league games for the first time this season. This Midlands derby represents another opportunity for them to claim a home win against a fellow basement dweller and it’s a fixture that they’re unbeaten in at Molineux since returning to the Premier League in 2018.
Leicester have experienced a similar false dawn to Wolves in that they have followed up the thrashing of Nottingham Forest with a loss at Bournemouth and a tepid 0-0 against Crystal Palace. Against Palace they seemed content to pass the ball around at the back and struggled to create much in the way of chances too. They will have been grateful for another clean sheet, just their second of the season but are still yet to have one on the road. They’ve lost all 5 trips away this season and urgently need to start picking up points on their travels.
With both sides desperately struggling for form, home advantage just gives Wolves the edge and the three points.
Southampton v Arsenal
Southampton are very much in a relegation battle this season but after a run of 1 point from 5 games and with Ralph Hassenhuttl once again under pressure from the Saints faithful, the 1-0 win at Bournemouth will have been just the result they needed. A loss in that derby could have spelt the end for the Austrian but instead they will be hopeful of repeating their victory in this game last season, however, Arsenal look a very different animal this time around.
There are signs that this Arsenal title challenge may have more substance to it than previous years. The nearly-men of North London are renowned for starting well and dropping off with teams exposing their soft under belly far too often but their win at Elland Road signalled that they are capable of winning ugly. Even the most ardent of Arsenal fans would have found it hard to claim this victory was deserved but it’s now 7 wins in a row in all competitions and with a 4-point cushion to nearest challengers City, maybe this year will be different?
These two sides have had very contrasting starts to the season and this trend should continue here with an Arsenal victory.
Leeds v Fulham
Leeds are another side are in an alarming run of form. At the time of writing they have yet to play Leicester but failure to win there would make it 7 games without a win. Their loss to Arsenal at the weekend was the first time they’d shown signs of the side that dispatched Chelsea and in truth they were incredibly unlucky to come away from the game pointless. That performance against one of the league’s best sides should have built their confidence and they will be looking to make this a third successive league victory over their visitors.
The Cottagers addressed consecutive defeats with a 2-2 draw against form side Bournemouth last weekend and will have been pleased with how they responded to going behind twice. They’ve only one once away in five league games and will be looking to rectify this but will have been buoyed by the return of Aleksandar Mitrovic to the starting line-up and inevitably the goals column last week.
The positive atmosphere at Elland Road which was evident in their loss against Arsenal could be the difference maker here in a tight game. Three much needed points for Leeds.
Aston Villa v Brentford
Despite rumours of his imminent sacking on Monday evening, Steven Gerrard is still in a job at the time of writing and brings his struggling Villa side back to Villa Park in search of a big three points. Looking at it positively, their performance against Chelsea was a big improvement and but for a heroic performance from Kepa in the Chelsea goal, they could well have taken a point. However, on the other hand it was another error from Tyrone Mings that led to the opener and another blank in front of goal. Frontmen Ings and Watkins have contributed just 2 league goals between them this season and it’s clear to see where the problems are.
Brentford profited from a wasteful Brighton side last Friday to get their third win of the season, all of them coming at home. Holding Chelsea to a 0-0 draw was a great result and further evidence of their strength in front of their own fans. Away from home, their form is a different story with just 3 points from 5 games and 11 goals conceded. Ivan Toney continues to look like playing himself into England’s World Cup squad with 8 goals now in his 11 games this season and will fancy adding to his tally against Villa’s flimsy backline here.
After Villa’s performance last weekend, there are signs that this squad is capable of more than it has shown so far but with Brentford proving a tough nut to crack, a draw looks the most likely outcome.
Tottenham v Newcastle
This Tottenham side continue to play Jekyll and Hyde, one week looking more assured after a comfortable 2-0 win over Everton but the next travelling to Old Trafford and getting battered for 90 minutes. Conte is still chopping and changing between 3-4-3 and 3-5-2 and the side doesn’t look settled at all. Despite that, they are still in the top four and have won all five of their home games, scoring 15 in the process. They’re a difficult side to pin down but they just keep finding a way to win at home.
The midweek victory over Everton means Newcastle have now won 3 of their last 4 and have still only been beaten once this season by a 98th minute Liverpool goal. They appear to have found their attacking vigor averaging 16 shots per game across their last 6 fixtures and having taken 4 points from their last 3 visits to Spurs, they’ll arrive with confidence. Miguel Almiron continues to impress and has 4 goals in his last 4 games, taking over the goal scoring responsibility from the injured Allan Saint-Maximin and Alexander Isak.
With Tottenham winning lots but still unconvincing and Newcastle so hard to beat, this one looks to be headed for a draw.
West Ham v Bournemouth
Monday Night Football travels to the London Stadium two sides in decent form meet. Despite losing at Anfield on Wednesday, West Ham have turned around their poor start with consecutive home victories and will be happy to be back on home soil. At Southampton they laid siege to the Saints goal firing off 25 shots and will have been disappointed to only leave with a point. They’ll be hoping for a return from Lucas Paqueta who missed the game at Liverpool with a knock. The Brazilian has had 12 shots in his last 2 games and seems sure to open his account soon enough.
Since their 9-0 defeat at Liverpool and the sacking of Scott Parker, Bournemouth have looked a totally different team. Their run of 6 games without defeat was brought to an end by Southampton in the south coast derby but the mood at the Vitality Stadium could not be more positive. The movement of Philip Billing to partner Solanke up top has proven a shrewd one and with 3 goals in his last 6 starts, he’ll be an attacking threat again.
The midweek defeat for Bournemouth may suggest that their ‘new manager bounce’ is now over and with West Ham on the up and playing well at home, it’s a victory for the Hammers.
