Southampton vs Man United
St. Mary’s Stadium, Hampshire
Saturday, 31-08-2019 @2:30pm
Referee: Mike Dean
Man United are already enduring a trying start to the season after going two games minus victory. After defeating Chelsea 4-0 on opening weekend, United have gone on to draw 1-1 with Wolves and then lose 2-1 at home to Crystal Palace. On Match-Day three, they come up against a Southampton side that is on the back of two successive wins in the league and cup.
Southampton’s Nathan Redmond is out for at least two weeks after injuring his ankle in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup win, and joins Moussa Dejenpo on the sidelines. Michael Obafemi is likely to be absent after suffering cramp in midweek, while Ryan Bertrand is back in training but it remains to be seen if he is fit.
Manchester United are without Luke Shaw and Anthony Martial, who have hamstring and thigh injuries respectively. Defensive trio Diogo Dalot, Eric Bailly and Timothy Fosu-Mensah are also out.
Southampton are winless in their last eight home league games against Manchester United (D3, L5). The side playing at home in this fixture has won just three of the past 15 Premier League encounters (D5, L7). Saints have taken the lead but ultimately lost in nine Premier League games against United.
United have won just one of their last eight league fixtures (D3, L4). The Red Devils have kept only one league clean sheet in 14 league matches. They have conceded 22 goals in this run and scored just 19 times (W5, D3, L6). United are without a victory in five away league fixtures and have lost three of those matches. They won 10 of Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s first 12 league games in charge (drawing the other two), but have claimed maximum points in just three of his subsequent 12 matches (D3, L6). Daniel James has been fouled a league-high 11 times.
Chelsea vs Sheffield United
Stamford Bridge, London
Saturday, 31-08-2019 @5pm
Referee: Scott Attwell
Chelsea registered their first victory of the season, defeating Norwich 3-2 away from home last weekend. They have a chance to make it two victories in as many games when they host newly-promoted Sheffield United at the Bridge on Saturday afternoon.
Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount is available after overcoming the knock that forced him off at Norwich. Callum Hudson-Odoi and Antonio Rudiger are back in training but are not expected to play, while N’Golo Kante, Pedro and Reece James remain out.
Sheffield United are hopeful midfielder John Fleck will feature after missing out last week with a hamstring strain. Kean Bryan suffered an ankle injury in the Carabao Cup against Blackburn and is rated doubtful. Record signing Oli McBurnie is pushing for his first Premier League start after three substitute appearances.
The clubs last met in 2006-07, with Chelsea winning both top-flight encounters without conceding. Chelsea boss Frank Lampard played in each game. United are looking to win at Chelsea for the first time since October 1992, when Adrian Littlejohn and Brian Deane scored in a 2-1 win. The Blades have conceded in each of their last 30 trips to Chelsea, a run dating back to October 1922. Frank Lampard faced Sheffield United twice as Derby boss last season, winning 2-1 at home and losing 3-1 away.
Victory last weekend was just Chelsea’s second in eight league matches (D4, L2). The Blues are unbeaten in 10 home league fixtures (W6, D4) and have kept clean sheets in six of those games. They have lost just three of their 80 home Premier League games versus newly-promoted sides (W66, D11). Mason Mount is looking to score in three consecutive appearances for the first time in English league football. Tammy Abraham has scored 28 league goals since the start of last season, more than any other English player in the top two tiers. Abraham scored in Aston Villa’s 3-3 home draw against the Blades last February whilst on loan with the club. Jorginho is the only player to have been booked in each of the opening three rounds of Premier League fixtures this term.
Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa
Selhurst Park, London
Saturday, 31-08-2019 @5pm
Referee: Kevin Friend
Aston Villa won 1-0 at home when the sides last met in January 2016 – one of just three Villa Premier League wins during the 2015-16 season. Villa have beaten Palace twice in 12 top-flight away fixtures (D4, L6) and scored only four times. Just seven goals have been scored in the last six league meetings, including five games with one goal or fewer.
Crystal Palace trio Joel Ward, Patrick van Aanholt and Jeffrey Schlupp have been passed fit after knocks but Scott Dann is a doubt with a hand injury. Centre-backs Mamadou Sakho and James Tomkins are both still absent.
Aston Villa left-back Matt Targett suffered a hamstring injury at Crewe on Tuesday and joins James Chester and Jonathan Kodjia on the sidelines. Marvelous Nakamba is pushing for his first Premier League appearance after impressing in the Carabao Cup.
Leicester City vs AFC Bournemouth
King Power Stadium, Leicestershire
Saturday, 31-08-2019 @5pm
Referee: Peter Bankes
Leicester full-back Ben Chilwell is fit after sitting out the last three league and cup matches with a hip injury. Wilfred Ndidi also returns after missing out last weekend with a hamstring strain, but Wes Morgan is doubtful because of a back problem.
Bournemouth’s Charlie Daniels will not play again this season after suffering another serious knee injury. Simon Francis, Lewis Cook, Lloyd Kelly, Dan Gosling, David Brooks and Junior Stanislas remain unavailable.
Leicester have never lost at home to Bournemouth in the Premier League (W1, D3). In fact, the Cherries haven’t won at Leicester since 1988 when they prevailed 1-0 in an old Division Two game. Six of Leicester’s seven Premier League goals against Bournemouth have been scored in the second half, with five coming in the final 10 minutes of games. Bournemouth’s Joshua King has scored a penalty in two of the last three meetings between the sides.
Man City vs Brighton
Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Saturday, 31-08-2019 @5pm
Referee: Jonathan Moss
Man City resumed business as usual last weekend as they defeated Bournemouth 3-1 away from home. The victory came at the back of a frustrating 2-2 home draw against Spurs and when Brighton rolls into the Etihad on Saturday, three points will be all that City will look to take.
Manchester City will monitor John Stones and Gabriel Jesus, both of whom are back in training after muscle problems and nearing full fitness. Long-term injury victims Benjamin Mendy and Leroy Sane remain absent, while summer signing Joao Cancelo awaits a first start.
Brighton striker Florin Andone is suspended following his red card against Southampton. Yves Bissouma, Jose Izquierdo and Ezequiel Schelotto all remain out.
Manchester City have won their last five matches against Brighton in all competitions, including all four league games in the previous two seasons and a FA Cup semi-final in April. Brighton have never won a league match away at Man City in nine attempts and have lost their last five in a row. They last claimed league points against City in a second-tier game in April 1989, winning 2-1 at the Goldstone Ground thanks to an Alan Curbishley penalty and an Ian Brightwell own goal.
Manchester City have won 49 of 51 points since they lost to Newcastle in January. City have been victorious in 16 of their last 17 league matches that have kicked-off at 3pm on a Saturday – the only game that they failed to win was a 3-2 defeat to Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace in December 2018. That loss is the only one of Pep Guardiola’s 32 top-flight defeats as a manager that has come against an English boss. They have equalled their club record of scoring in 25 consecutive Premier League matches, set from April to December 2017. Only Arsenal (55 games from 2001-2002) and Manchester United (36 from 2007-2008) have had longer scoring streaks. Raheem Sterling has scored five goals this season (joint-most with Teemu Pukki) – only Edin Dzeko (six in 2011) and Chris Sutton (six in 1997) have netted more Premier League goals in August in a single season.
Newcastle United vs Watford
St. James Park, Newcastle upon Tyne
Saturday, 17-08-2019 @5pm
Referee: Graham Scott
Newcastle’s Matt Ritchie could be out for two months after damaging ankle ligaments in the EFL Cup in midweek. Allan Saint-Maximin misses out after aggravating a hamstring injury at Tottenham last Sunday, but Joelinton has shaken off a groin strain.
Watford head coach Javi Garcia has no new injury problems, with Roberto Pereyra fit again after a thigh problem that kept him out against West Ham. Captain Troy Deeney remains sidelined after having knee surgery last week.
Watford have won on three of their last four visits to Newcastle in all competitions, losing on the other occasion. Newcastle avoided defeat in both Premier League matches with Watford last season, having lost the four previous meetings.
West Ham United vs Norwich City
London Stadium, London
Saturday, 31-08-2019 @5pm
Referee: Paul Tierney
Both the last two meetings between these sides – which came in the 2015-16 season – ended in 2-2 draws. Norwich have failed to win on their last seven league visits to West Ham (D4, L3). They have won just one of their last 11 matches against West Ham in all competitions (D6, L4).
Javier Hernandez is fit again after missing West Ham’s last two games with a knee injury. Michail Antonio is being assessed after coming off against Newport County in the EFL Cup in midweek with a hamstring problem.
Norwich will be without Timm Klose, who may need knee surgery, while Grant Hanley has a groin strain. But Christoph Zimmerman has shaken off a hip problem and Josip Drmic has recovered from a hamstring injury.
Burnley vs Liverpool
Turf Moor, Burnley
Saturday, 31-08-2019 @7:30pm
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Liverpool are the only side still holding a 100% record in the Premier League following a run of three consecutive victories since the start of the campaign. The Kops eased passed Arsenal 3-1 in their last game and will be confident they can move to 12 points from 4 games when they come up against Burnley on Saturday evening.
Burnley manager Sean Dyche says Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s calf injury is not as bad as first feared, but he is highly unlikely to feature on Saturday. Robbie Brady is nearing a return but remains on the sidelines along with Steven Defour.
Liverpool’s Naby Keita will not be fully fit until after the international break because of a muscle strain. The only other player-manager Jurgen Klopp is set to be without is first-choice goalkeeper Alisson.
Burnley have won just two of their last 16 matches against Liverpool in all competitions. The Clarets have picked up just four points from a possible 30 in Premier League games versus the Reds. Sean Dyche’s side have scored against Liverpool in all six of their matches since Jurgen Klopp took over.
They could equal the club’s top-flight record of six consecutive away victories, a sequence they have recorded on three previous occasions – latterly from February to April 2014. The Reds have lost just once in their last 42 league matches, winning 109 of 126 points available (W34, D7, L1). Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 10 Premier League games played in August, winning the last eight in a row. The last team to beat them in August were Burnley in 2016 despite the Reds having 80% possession that day. They have scored 22 headed goals in the league since the start of last season, which is seven more than any other side.
Everton vs Wolves
Goodison Park, Liverpool
Sunday, 01-09-2019 @4pm
Referee: Anthoney Taylor
Details to follow shortly
Arsenal vs Tottenham
Emirates Stadium, London
Sunday, 01-08-2019 @6:30pm
Referee: Martin Atkinson
Details to follow shortly