Man City vs Newcastle United
Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Wednesday, 08-07-2020 @8pm
Ref: Andy Madley
City have won the last 10 home league meetings and could win 11 successive home top-flight games against a single side for the first time. Newcastle are unbeaten in the last two Premier League meetings, winning one and drawing one, having lost 15 of the previous 16 clashes.
Manchester City have no fresh injury worries. Gabriel Jesus may again deputise for the injured Sergio Aguero, with manager Pep Guardiola insisting the Brazilian produced “one of his best performances of this season” against Southampton.
Newcastle have a number of new injury issues with Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin both doubts. Andy Carroll and Jamaal Lascelles are also potential absentees with respective groin and ankle problems.
City have won their last four home Premier League matches by a 14-0 aggregate scoreline. They have dropped 33 points this season – compared to a combined total of 30 in their previous two campaigns. City could keep five consecutive clean sheets in Premier League home games for the first time since September 2011. However, they have lost four of their last nine top-flight matches. City could fail to score in consecutive Premier League games for the first time since March 2016. Kevin de Bruyne has either scored or assisted a goal 15 times in his last 14 Premier League starts.
Newcastle are on a six-match unbeaten Premier League run, winning three and drawing three – only Manchester United (nine games) are currently on a longer top-flight unbeaten run. The Magpies could win three consecutive away Premier League matches for the first time since December 2001. They have scored 10 goals in their last four Premier League games – their previous 10 took 14 matches. Steve Bruce is yet to win a Premier League away match against Man City as a manager with three draws and eight losses. With a goal in his last two matches Miguel Almiron has matched his tally from his first 40 Premier League appearances.
Sheffield United vs Wolves
Bramell Lane, Sheffield
Wednesday, 08-07-2020 @8pm
Ref: Martin Atkinson
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder faces a “big decision” whether to pick Jack O’Connell or Jack Robinson at centre-back. O’Connell made his return from injury as a second-half substitute – replacing Robinson – against Burnley on Sunday.
Wolves forward Pedro Neto will be assessed after picking up a knock against Arsenal last time out. Daniel Podence will be available after a period of self-isolation following a trip to Portugal.
Wolves have only lost one of the last eight league meetings, winning four and drawing three. They have won two of the last three away league encounters, more victories than in their previous 16 visits to Bramall Lane (W1, D7, L8).
Sheffield United could win three consecutive home Premier League matches for the first time since 1993. Only Liverpool and Manchester City have conceded fewer home league goals than the Blades, who have shipped 14. Chris Wilder’s side lost three of their first four home league matches this season but have only lost two of 12 since. Their tally of 48 points is the highest by a newly-promoted team after 33 matches of a Premier League season since Wigan also recorded 48 in 2005-06.
Wolves could lose back-to-back Premier League matches for only the third time this season. They have won six of their last seven league games against newly-promoted sides, drawing the other match. Wolves could win four consecutive top-flight away fixtures for the first time since a run of five victories in 1980. They could also equal the club top-flight record of three consecutive away clean sheets. If Premier League matches finished at half-time this season, Wolves would be bottom with a record of W5, D12, L16. Adama Traore has provided a club-high nine Premier League assists this season.
West Ham United vs Burnley
London Stadium, London
Wednesday, 08-07-2020 @8pm
Ref: Michael Oliver
Burnley have recorded victories in three of their last four league games against the Hammers, keeping a clean sheet in each victory. West Ham have won 11 and lost just two of their past 14 home encounters with the Clarets in league and cup. Victory for Burnley would see them complete a top flight league double over the Hammers for the first time. The last four fixtures between the sides have produced 14 goals.
West Ham are assessing record signing Sebastien Haller after he returned to training following a hip injury. Felipe Anderson is out once again with a hamstring injury, while Robert Snodgrass is expected to miss the rest of the season with a back problem.
Burnley are again without Ben Mee and Jack Cork because of respective thigh and ankle injuries, with the pair set to be out for the rest of season. Matt Lowton and Ashley Barnes remain long-term absentees.
West Ham are unbeaten in two matches (W1, D1) – their best run of league form since they went six matches without defeat last September. They have won two of their last three games at the London Stadium, having previously been victorious only once in 10 home fixtures (D3, L6). The Hammers have scored 14 goals in seven home league matches since David Moyes returned as boss, netting three goals or more in four of those fixtures. West Ham are on a run of 13 league matches without a clean sheet. Of the last seven home goals conceded by the Hammers, five have been scored in the final 20 minutes of matches. Michail Antonio has been directly involved in five goals in his last six league appearances, scoring three goals and assisting two. January signing Tomas Soucek has scored in back-to-back league games. West Ham boss David Moyes is winless in all five games he’s managed against Sean Dyche (D2, L3).
Burnley have been beaten only once in 11 league fixtures (W6, D4). The Clarets have won three of their last five away league games (D1, L1), as many victories as in their previous 16 on the road (D4, L9). Burnley have claimed 13 league victories this term, with 11 coming against sides currently in the bottom half (D3, L3). They have accrued just 16 points from 31 Premier League matches in London (W4, D4, L23), although they won at Crystal Palace last month on their most recent visit to the capital. Chris Wood has scored in all five of his six league games against West Ham, netting six goals in total. If selected, Wood will be making his 100th Premier League appearance. James Tarkowski’s goal last weekend was only Burnley’s fourth first-half strike in their last 21 league games.
Brighton vs Liverpool
The American Express Community Stadium, East Sussex
Wednesday, 08-07- 2020 @10:15pm
Ref: Craig Pawson
Brighton remain without Jose Izquierdo because of a knee injury. The Seagulls will monitor fellow midfielder Steven Alzate, who has been nursing an ongoing groin problem.
Liverpool left-back Andy Robinson expects to be available despite suffering a knock against Aston Villa. Roberto Firmino, Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum all came on for the final half hour at Villa Park, and could return to the starting line-up.
Liverpool have never lost a top-flight game at Brighton (W3, D3). The Reds have won the last eight meetings in all competitions. That includes victories in all five Premier League encounters, although the last three have been by single-goal margins (1-0 or 2-1).
Brighton have won two of their four Premier League games since the restart, as many victories as in their previous 18 matches (D8, L8). The Seagulls are looking to record back-to-back league wins for the first time since November. Brighton have lost all four of their Premier League matches against teams starting the day top of the table. Their last top-flight win against a side in first place was in December 1980, when they beat Aston Villa 1-0 with a goal from Michael Robinson. Brighton have equalled last season’s Premier League points total (36) and goals tally (35). They need five more points to surpass their previous highest total in the Premier League (40 points in 2017-18). Defeat would see the Seagulls lose consecutive Premier League home games for just the second time (they also lost three in a row between March and April 2019.
The Reds have gone seven hours and 42 minutes without scoring an away goal (in all competitions). If they fail to score for a sixth successive away game it will be their worst run since an eight-match sequence in 1992. Liverpool need four wins from their remaining five games to surpass the record points total in English top-flight history (Manchester City ended with 100 in 2017-18). Victory in all their remaining games would see the Reds also break the record for the highest points total in one of the top five European leagues, set by Juventus (102 points) in 2013-14. Sadio Mane has scored against 28 of the 30 opponents he has faced in the Premier League, failing to net in four games against Brighton and one versus Middlesbrough. Mohamed Salah has been directly involved in 127 goals in 147 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions, scoring 92 goals and assisting 35.
The other upcoming Premier League games and mid-week results
Thursday, 09-07-2020
-AFC Bournemouth vs Tottenham Hotspur @8pm
-Everton vs Southampton @8pm
-Aston Villa vs Man United @10:15pm
Tuesday, 07-07-2020
-Crystal Palace 2-3 Chelsea
-Watford 2-1 Norwich City
-Arsenal 1-1 Leicester City
