Everton vs Chelsea
Goodison Park, Liverpool
Saturday, 07-12-2019 @3:30pm
Ref: Craig Pawson
Everton’s injury woes in central midfield look set to continue, with Fabian Delph ruled out for the fifth game with a thigh problem. Defender Yerry Mina is a doubt after sustaining an injury at Anfield on Wednesday, while captain Seamus Coleman remains out.
Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham is expected to feature despite being substituted against Aston Villa. Midfielder Ross Barkley is back in contention following illness.
Everton’s 2-0 home win against Chelsea last season was their first in seven meetings in all competitions (D2, L4). The Toffees have lost just once at Goodison Park in the past five encounters. They can secure consecutive league victories in this fixture for the first time since November 1994. Chelsea have not scored against Everton in the Premier League since a 2-0 home victory in August 2017.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
Vitality Stadium, Dorset
Saturday, 07-12-2019 @6pm
Ref: Chris Kavanagh
Liverpool have won the last four meetings, scoring 14 goals without reply. Bournemouth have won only one of their 15 matches against Liverpool in all competitions (D3, L11). The Cherries have lost 4-0 in successive home games against Liverpool. There have been 25 goals in the last six meetings, an average of more than four goals a game.
Bournemouth’s Adam Smith has an ankle injury, while top scorer Harry Wilson is ineligible to face his parent club.Steve Cook remains out after breaking his wrist against Spurs last weekend, while Joshua King is sidelined with a hamstring problem.
Liverpool, who welcome back goalkeeper Alisson after suspension, have no fresh injury problems. Joel Matip continues to be troubled by a knee injury and remains out, along with Fabinho and Nathaniel Clyne.
Liverpool have won their last six Premier League matches, and have picked up 43 points out of a possible 45 this season. They have equalled the best record by a team after 15 fixtures of a top-flight season (W14, D1), emulating Tottenham in 1960-61 and Manchester City in 2017-18. Both sides went on to win the title. The Reds are unbeaten in 32 Premier League games (W27, D5), their longest run without defeat in the top flight. However, they have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last 13 games in all competitions. Five of Liverpool’s six Premier League away wins this season have been by a single-goal margin. Trent Alexander-Arnold has provided 18 Premier League assists since the start of last season, more than any other player.
Tottenham vs Burnley
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
Saturday, 07-12-2019 @6pm
Ref: Kevin Friend
Burnley won a top-flight game against Tottenham in February for only the second time in 44 years. That ended a run of nine games without a victory against Spurs in all competitions. Burnley’s most recent away victory at Tottenham came in a League Cup tie in 1983. Their last league victory at Spurs was in 1974.
Spurs have failed to keep a clean sheet in 10 consecutive Premier League fixtures, their longest run since August to December 2010. Their tally of 20 points is their lowest total after 15 matches of a Premier League season since the 2008-09 season. Jose Mourinho has faced Burnley at home more often without winning than he has against any other side in all competitions in his managerial career. His one match in charge of Chelsea and two at Manchester United against the Clarets have all been draws. Dele Alli has scored in three consecutive appearances in all competitions for the first time since March 2017. Alli is scoring a goal every 85 minutes under Mourinho in all competitions this season, compared to one every 374 minutes under Mauricio Pochettino.
Tottenham will again be without Erik Lamela and Michel Vorm because of hamstring and calf injuries respectively.Long-term absentees Ben Davies and Hugo Lloris also remain on the sidelines.
Burnley manager Sean Dyche says Ashley Barnes has a “strong chance” of playing following a groin problem that limited him to a cameo role on Tuesday. Johann Berg Gudmundsson is definitely out, while Charlie Taylor, Ashley Westwood and Phil Bardsley are doubts.
Watford vs Crystal Palace
Vicarage Road, London
Saturday, 07-12-2019 @6pm
Ref: Martin Atkinson
Crystal Palace’s Christian Kabasele and Roberto Pereyra could return after hamstring injuries.Captain Troy Deeney is in line for his first home start since mid-August but Craig Dawson is not quite ready to come back after a head injury.
Crystal Palace are likely to be without Max Meyer, who has a sickness bug. In defence, Mamadou Sakho starts a suspension and Joel Ward and Patrick van Aanholt are still injured, but Gary Cahill or Scott Dann could return.
The teams met three times last season, with Watford winning them all by a 2-1 scoreline.
Man City vs Man United
Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Saturday, 07-12-2019 @8:30pm
Ref: Anthony Taylor
Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is available after suspension, while Oleksandr Zinchenko is fit after knee surgery. Sergio Aguero has again been ruled out.
Manchester United forward Anthony Martial could make a swift return from the minor injury that caused him to miss Wednesday’s win over Spurs. Paul Pogba’s absence because of an ankle problem is set to continue, while fellow midfielder Nemanja Matic is close to a return to fitness.
Man City’s victory in last season’s corresponding fixture was their first in four attempts at home to United in the Premier League. Manchester City won 3-1 and 2-0 last season – the last team to beat United by at least two clear goals in three consecutive top-flight meetings was Liverpool, who did so in four in a row between 1978-1979. This is the 149th top-flight Manchester derby. United lead by 56 wins to City’s 45, with 47 draws.
City, who were beaten by Wolves at the Etihad Stadium in October, have never lost more than one Premier League home fixture in a season under Pep Guardiola. They have dropped five points in their three home games against established top-six rivals this season, as many as in the entirety of 2018-19. Manchester City have dropped 13 points home and away, compared to 16 points in the entire 2018-19 campaign and 14 points during 2017-18. It’s eight matches without a clean sheet for City in all competitions. Gabriel Jesus hasn’t scored in 10 appearances at the Etihad Stadium in all competitions since March.
Manchester United’s current four-match unbeaten league run is their longest since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was confirmed as permanent manager in March (W2, D2). However, the Red Devils have won only one of their past 11 Premier League away matches (D4, L6). They have gone 12 top-flight away fixtures without a clean sheet, their longest such run for more than 33 years. United conceded in 15 successive games between September 1985 and April 1986. If United fail to win this match they will have their lowest points tally after 16 fixtures of a top-flight season since 1989-90. Solskjaer’s side are unbeaten in their last five league games against other established top-six teams (W2, D3), including all four fixtures this season. Marcus Rashford has scored nine goals in his past 10 United appearances. Jesse Lingard was directly involved in six goals in seven league matches in December 2018. He has neither scored nor provided an assist in any of his subsequent 23 league appearances.
The other match-day 16 fixtures
Sunday, 08-12-2019
-Aston Villa vs Leicester City @5pm
-Newcastle United vs Southampton @5pm
-Norwich City vs Sheffield United @5pm
-Brighton vs Wolves @7:30pm
Monday, 09-12-2019
-West Ham United vs Arsenal @11pm