PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH PREVIEWS – 5TH TO 6TH NOVEMBER

Bournemouth v Sunderland – Saturday 1500

Positions: Bournemouth 10^th, Sunderland 20^th

Form (league matches only – earliest matches first):

Bournemouth LWDWDL (8pts)

Sunderland LLDLLL (1pt)

• Sunderland’s two points from ten matches gives them the unwanted honour of having equalled the record for the worst start to a Premier League season. Bournemouth have been inconsistent, but have an excellent home record so far, and must be fancied to heap more misery on David Moyes and his team. Moyes has also been handed a one-match touchline ban for criticising a referee.

Burnley v Crystal Palace – Saturday 1500

Positions: Burnley 14^th, Crystal Palace 13^th

Form:

Burnley LWLLWD (7pts)

Crystal Palace WWDLLL (7pts)

• By a quirk of the fixture computer, this will be Burnley’s seventh home match out of 11 this season. They also have a good record in those matches at Turf Moor, having won three out of six. Palace are fading after a good start, and have lost three in succession, and will see this as a chance to get back on the right track though.

Manchester City v Middlesbrough – Saturday 1500

Positions: Man City 1^st, Middlesbrough 15^th

Form:

Man City WWLDDW (11pts)

Middlesbrough LLDLDW (5pts)

• The last week seems to have changed the mood at the Etihad Stadium massively. This time last week, questions were being asked about Manchester City, especially their defence, but a 4-0 Premier League win over West Brom and a 3-1 Champions League victory against mighty Barcelona have handed Pep Guardiola’s team a massive boost. Although Middlesbrough ended a seven-match winless run with victory over Bournemouth last weekend, you have to fancy City for three points here.

West Ham United v Stoke City – Saturday 1500

Positions: West Ham 17^th, Stoke 12^th

Form:

West Ham LLDWWL (7pts)

Stoke LDDWWW (11pts)

• Three wins in succession have seen Stoke rise to 12^th place, with a five-point cushion over the bottom three. West Ham’s mini-revival ended last week with defeat by Everton. Stoke probably start as slight favourites given their superb recent form, but the Hammers certainly have the players capable of winning this match.

Chelsea v Everton – Saturday 1730

Positions: Chelsea 4^th, Everton 6^th

Form:

Chelsea LLWWWW (12pts)

Everton WLDDLW (8pts)

• Inconsistent Everton got back to winning ways against West Ham last week, and they still have the second best defensive record in the league. However, with Chelsea having scored 11 in winning all of their last four matches, the Toffees defence will be hard pushed to stop Chelsea.

Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur – Sunday 1200

Positions: Arsenal 2^nd, Tottenham 5^th

Form:

Arsenal WWWWDW (16pts)

Tottenham WWWDDD (12pts)

• Arsenal maybe have a knack of pulling off wins at the moment – their 4-1 win over Sunderland last weekend game via three goals in the last 20 minutes, and they came from 2-0 down to win a Champions League game in Bulgaria at the weekend. Tottenham remain the league’s only unbeaten team, but have been short of goals recently, lost in Europe with an insipid performance in midweek, and the return of Harry Kane cannot come soon enough. Reports suggest both Kane and key defender Toby Alderweireld both stand a chance of making the squad for this North London derby, but unless Kane can make an instant impact, this could well be the day Spurs lose that unbeaten record.

Hull City v Southampton – Sunday 1415

Positions: Hull 18^th, Southampton 9^th

Form:

Hull LLLLLL (0pts)

Southampton WWDWDL (11pts)

• It is difficult to find any positives at Hull, who have now lost six league games in a row. Southampton are in good form, save for a defeat by Chelsea last week, and must start as strong favourites here.

Liverpool v Watford – Sunday 1415

Positions: Liverpool 3^rd, Watford 7^th

Form:

Liverpool WWWDWW (16pts)

Watford WLDWDW (11pts)

• Liverpool have the worst defensive record in the top six, and some commentators are asking if their defence is good enough to win the league. So far at least, it hasn’t mattered, as Jurgen Klopp’s side simply set out to score more goals than their opponents – they have won six of their last seven despite not keeping a clean sheet in any of them, and remain level on points with City at the top. Although Watford have bagged a few wins recently, they have mostly been against sides from the lower reaches of the table, and they will do very well to halt Liverpool’s momentum here. Liverpool forward Danny Ings will miss the rest of the season after suffering another serious knee injury, but Liverpool do not seem to be missing him given their goalscoring record so far.

Swansea City v Manchester United – Sunday 1500

Positions: Swansea 19^th, Man Utd 8^th

Form:

Swansea LLLLDL (1pt)

Man Utd LWDDLD (6pts)

• Once again, this is a match Manchester United should win, but with their recent record, you just never know. It’s certainly a freakish occurrence when a team has 37 attempts on goal and fails to score, as United did against Burnley, so anything like the same level of performance should see them beat Swansea, who haven’t won since the opening day. Jose Mourinho is banned from the touchline after being sent to the stands for dissent last week. United could welcome Phil Jones back to their matchday squad following injury, but Antonio Valencia is sidelined with a broken arm.

Leicester City v West Bromwich Albion – Sunday 1630

Positions: Leicester 11^th, West Brom 16^th

Form:

Leicester WLDLWD (8pts)

West Brom WDDDLL (6pts)

·         West Brom have not won in five and will do well to end Leicester’s unbeaten home record.

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