Week 7 Preview...

It looks like a tasty set of fixtures this weekend - and make the most of it as we have an international break afterwards!!

After last weekends results, we only have 2 unbeaten teams and 5 teams who have yet to win. Liverpool sit atop the table.

SATURDAY
CRYSTAL PALACE vs LIVERPOOL - TNT 12:30pm
Winless Palace have had a pretty shocking start to the season, while Liverpool have won 5 of the 6.
Last weeks defeat to Everton would have been especially disappointing, but the Eagles can point to decent draws with Chelsea and Man Utd. They are the leagues second lowest scorers with 5, and starman Eberechi Eze has yet to truly shine, and has just one league goal. They face the meanest defence in the league, with Liverpool conceding just twice. Luis Diaz has scored as many as Palace, while Salah already has 4.

Recent history suggests a tight game, and Palace won the last fixture between the two thanks to an Eze goal, albeit at Anfield. Palace last won at Selhurst Park against Liverpool in 2014, while Liverpool have good memories of a 7-0 win back in 2020.

Prediction
Crystal Palace 0-3 Liverpool

ARSENAL vs SOUTHAMPTON - 3pm
Unbeaten Arsenal face a Saints side with just 1 point. Southampton are the leagues lowest scorers with 3 and they come up against a defence that has conceded just 5. The Saints will take hope from Leicester scoring twice at the Emirates last week.

The last meeting was 2 seasons ago, and was quite the game. An Aaron Ramsdale error early on gave Southampton the lead - he will be in the other teams goal this weekend - and ex-Arsenal star Theo Walcott made it 2. A Martinelli goal got Arsenal back in it but Caleta-Car made it 3-1. Late goals from Odegaard and Saka gave Arsenal a point, but it was the 2 dropped that were vital in the title race. While the Saints have got some big draws at the Emirates, their last win away to Arsenal was way back in 1987 at Highbury.

Prediction:
Arsenal 3-0 Southampton

BRENTFORD vs WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS - 3pm
Bottom of the table Wolves go to mid-table Brentford. It has been a harsh start to the season for the visitors, with trips to Arsenal and Villa plus home defeats to Chelsea, Newcastle and Liverpool. Their sole point was away to Forest. They have the worst defensive record, with 16 conceded.
Brentford have developed a knack for scoring in the opening minute - 3 games in a row - but not for turning that into wins and are on a 3 game winless run. Like their opponents, they have played a few of the top teams and have got wins against Southampton and Crystal Palace.

Wolves haven't lost in their last 3 trips to Brentford and last season had a 4-1 win with Hwang netting twice.

Prediction
Brentford 1-1 Wolves

LEICESTER CITY vs BOURNEMOUTH - 3pm
Leicester came so close to a great point at the Emirates last week, while Bournemouth eased to victory over Southampton. It means Leicester remain winless, while the Cherries sit comfortably in 11th.

Their last meeting in the PL at the King Power was a massive relegation 6 pointer, and the away team took a 1-0 win as they survived and the Foxes went down.

Prediction
Leicester City 1-2 Bournemouth

MANCHESTER CITY vs FULHAM
Unbeaten City welcome high-fliers Fulham with both teams in good form. City are the leagues second highest scorers, but with 10 Erling Haaland is already clear in the Top Scorer charts. He drew his first blank last time out at St James Park.
Fulhams only league defeat came on day 1 - also in Manchester. They have won their last two, with Raul Jimenez finding his goal scoring touch. Emile Smith Rowe already has a couple, and joins a number of ex-Arsenal players wanting to do their old club a favour.

Last season City won both home and away with ease, scoring 9 in the process. The last time City failed to beat Fulham was in 2011 (at Craven Cottage) and the same year Fulham last avoided defeat at City.

Prediction
Man City 3-1 Fulham

WEST HAM UNITED vs IPSWICH TOWN - 3pm
It has been a very poor start for Julien Lopetegui at West Ham, with just 1 win and 5 points from 6 games. The pressure is already on him and defeat here will surely increase the fans displeasure.
Ipswich are on a 4 match run of draws after losing to Liverpool and City in their opening 2 games. It has been a decent start, with draws against Villa, Brighton and in-form Fulham being stand-outs. However, they will be desperate to get that first win on the board, and this looks a good chance.

Both teams have struggled to score, West Ham with 6 and Ipswich 5, while both conceded 10. Liam Delap has 3 for Ipswich so far, with Tomas Soucek netting twice for West Ham. Their last league meetings were in the Championship, where ex-Hammer Lee Bowyer won the Upton Park tie for the Tractor Boys before they hammered the Hammers 5-1 at Portman Road.

Prediction
West Ham 2-1 Ipswich

EVERTON vs NEWCASTLE UNITED - Sky Sports 5:30pm
Massive win for the Toffees last week, with Dwight McNeil netting twice in a 2-1 win - their first of the season. Newcastle, missing star striker Isak, got a creditable 1-1 with Man City and have lost just once this season.

Head to head records are close, Everton won this fixture 3-0 last season with McNeil once more on the scoresheet. The tie at St James was 1-1, and you only have to go back to April last year for a 4-1 Newcastle win at Goodison Park.

Prediction
Everton 0-2 Newcastle

SUNDAY
CHELSEA vs NOTTINGHAM FOREST - 14:00
The home side haven't lost since day 1, and have won 5 in a row across all competitions. Forest had a good start, including that impressive win at Anfield, but lost last time out at home to Fulham.
Chelsea are the leagues top scorers, Palmer with 6 and Jacksons 4 leading the way. Forests good form is on the back of having the leagues second best defence - 5 conceded.

Forest won at the Bridge 1-0 last season adding to a 2-2 in their return season to the PL. In fact you have to go back to 1998 for the last time Chelsea won a home league game with Forest - there have been a lot of cup thrashings in their favour in between though!

Prediction
Chelsea 2-0 Forest

SUPER SUNDAY on Sky Sports
ASTON VILLA vs MANCHESTER UNITED - 14:00
This looks a big game, with pressure on Erik ten Hag growing as we head into the international break. Unai Emery, on the other hand, is on a high after a great 1-0 over Bayern, with 4 wins and a draw in the PL - losing just once this season. Both Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran have 4 goals each, with the latter getting his off the bench.
United do have captain Bruno Fernandes available after his red card was overturned, but it is fair to say goalscoring is the biggest issue with just 5 goals scored in the league.

United won 2-1 at Villa Park last season, and matches between these often have lots of goals - 27 in the last 7 games (VP and OT all comps).

Prediction
Aston Villa 2-2 Man Utd

BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION vs TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR - 16:30
8th meets 9th in what many are suggesting could be a "basketball game". 35 goals in the 12 games these two teams have played so far, but the away side are the form team and on a 5 game winning streak in all comps. Brightons last 3 games have been a 4-2 loss, a 2-2 draw and a 3-2 win.

Head to Head doesn't dampen thoughts of a high scoring match, with Brighton winning 4-2 at the AMEX last season - going 4 up before late Spurs consolation goals.

Prediction
Brighton 2-5 Spurs



Should be fun...