PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH PREVIEWS – 29/31 OCTOBER

Sunderland v Arsenal – Saturday 1230

Positions: Sunderland 20^th, Arsenal 2^nd

Form (league matches only – earliest matches first):

Sunderland LLLDLL (1pt)

Arsenal WWWWWD (16pts)

• This is almost a bottom v top match, with Arsenal unbeaten since the first day and level on points with the leaders, and with Sunderland still searching for a win, even after playing two sides from the bottom six in their last two matches. All runs of form, good or bad, end at some stage, but Arsenal must be strongly fancied here.

Manchester United v Burnley – Saturday 1500

Positions: Man Utd 7^th, Burnley 14^th

Form:

Man Utd LLWDDL (5pts)

Burnley DLWLLW (7pts)

• Manchester United finally secured a win over a weakened Manchester City in the League cup, but their Premier League record of one win in six is far from impressive. They also go into this fixture on the back of a 4-0 humbling at Chelsea. However, Burnley are yet to gather a point on their travels since their return to the top flight, and a United victory is still the most likely result. United’s Ivory Coast defender Eric Bailly starts a two-month lay-off with a knee injury.

Middlesbrough v Bournemouth – Saturday 1500

Positions: Middlesbrough 17^th, Bournemouth 12^th

Form:

Middlesbrough LLLDLD (2pts)

Bournemouth WLWDWD (11pts)

• Bournemouth are another team with a much better record at home than on their travels. The Cherries have won three of the last six, but all at home, and despite their own poor run of results, Middlesbrough will be looking to take at least a point from this fixture.

Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City – Saturday 1500

Positions: Tottenham 5^th, Leicester 12^th

Form:

Tottenham WWWWDD (14pts)

Leicester LWLDLW (7pts)

• Leicester were praised for their performance against Crystal Palace last week, but once again they leave the home comforts of their King Power Stadium for life on the road, and they have lost all four away matches so far while shipping 13 goals in the process. Tottenham are down to fifth after drawing the last two, but it hardly represents a slide in form, and they remain one point off the pace and should probably be marginal favourites for three points here.

Watford v Hull City – Saturday 1500

Positions: Watford 9^th, Hull 18^th

Form:

Watford WWLDWD (11pts)

Hull DLLLLL (1pt)

• Hull are a club looking for anything they can draw comfort from, after losing their last five league matches and conceding 19 goals in the process. Hull did manage to record a win in the League Cup in midweek – against Championship opposition – and they only lost to Stoke last week thanks to two superb goals. Watford are also one of the few teams to have had significantly better results in away matches so far, so if this is to be anything other than a very hard season for Hull, this is the sort of fixture they need to target for some points.

West Bromwich Albion v Manchester City – Saturday 1500

Positions: West Brom 13^th, Man City 1^st

Form:

West Brom LWDDDL (6pts)

Man City WWWLDD (11pts)

• Manchester City are certainly on a poor run by their standards, or the standards of any team Pep Guardiola has managed. They have not won in six matches in all competitions, have failed to keep a clean sheet in eight and have conceded the first goal of the game in all of their last six. However, the poor run has coincided with a series of fixtures against stronger opposition, and with West Brom themselves having not won in four league matches, City will start as favourites here.

Crystal Palace v Liverpool - Saturday 1730

Positions: Crystal Palace 11^th, Liverpool 3^rd

Form:

Crystal Palace WWWDLL (10pts)

Liverpool WWWWDW (16pts)

• Liverpool’s excellent run of form continues, and they are now level on points with Manchester City and Arsenal at the top. With Palace’s good start to the season fading somewhat, Jurgen Klopp’s side will be confident of another win here.

Everton v West Ham United – Sunday 1330

Positions: Everton 6^th, West Ham 15^th

Form:

Everton WWLDDL (8pts)

West Ham LLLDWW (7pts)

• On the field at least, things seem to be looking up for West Ham, after back-to-back league wins and victory over Chelsea in the League Cup. After a superb start, Everton have not won in four, so the momentum is with the Hammers. However, maybe Everton’s defensive solidity will see them claim at least a point.

Southampton v Chelsea – Sunday 1600

Positions: Southampton 8^th, Chelsea 4^th

Form:

Southampton LWWDWD (11pts)

Chelsea DLLWWW (10pts)

• Chelsea are really hitting form, having won their last three league matches 2-0, 3-0 and 4-0. However, Southampton are themselves in great form, so a 5-0 Chelsea win to continue the sequence has to be regarded as most unlikely. In what could be one of the weekend’s most exciting matches, both teams look full of goals, so perhaps a score draw is on the cards?

Stoke City v Swansea City – Monday 2000

Positions: Stoke 16^th, Swansea 19^th

Form:

Stoke LLDDWW (8pts)

Swansea DLLLLD (2pts)

• Stoke have recorded back-to-back wins and are unbeaten in four. Now outside the relegation zone, the Potters will fancy their chances of securing another three points against a Swansea side who have not won since the first day of the season.

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