Southampton vs Tottenham Hotspur
St. Mary’s Stadium, Hampshire
Sunday, 20-09-2020 @2pm
Ref: David Coote
Southampton have won their past two home league games against Tottenham, having failed to win any of the previous six. Spurs could lose back-to-back league fixtures against the Saints for the first time since March 2004. Tottenham have gone nine Premier League matches without a clean sheet against Southampton, their joint longest current run against any side, level with Liverpool.
Southampton forward Nathan Redmond has been ruled out with the ankle ligament injury he suffered in the League Cup defeat to Brentford. Midfielder Stuart Armstrong could be available having missed their opening two matches with a thigh problem.
This is Tottenham’s second of four matches in eight days so head coach Jose Mourinho is likely to make changes. Defender Japhet Tanganga remains on the sidelines due to a thigh injury.
Southampton’s only victory in their previous 21 opening home games of a Premier League season was against Blackburn in 2004. Only Norwich won fewer Premier League home points than Southampton’s tally of 21 last season. Saints’ total of 10 home league defeats equalled the club record for a single campaign, set in 1993-94. They have won their last four Premier League games played on a Sunday, as many as they managed across their previous 23 fixtures on that day.
Tottenham haven’t started a Premier League campaign with back-to-back defeats since 2011-12. Their only opening away league defeat across the past seven seasons was 1-0 at Manchester United in 2015-16. Spurs have only once failed to score in either of their opening two fixtures of a Premier League season, back in 1992 – which included a 0-0 draw at Southampton. Five of their last six Premier League goals were scored by Harry Kane and the other was an own goal by Leicester’s James Justin. Kane has scored nine goals in his past nine league appearances against Southampton – he has only scored more Premier League goals against Arsenal (10) and Leicester (15). Spurs have lost 88 Premier League games on a Sunday, more than any other side.
Newcastle United vs Brighton and Hove Albion
St. James Park, Newcastle upon Tyne
Sunday, 20-09-2020 @4pm
Ref: Kevin Friend
Newcastle winger Allan Saint-Maximin has overcome the minor problem he sustained while playing in the League Cup in midweek. Fabian Schar, Martin Dubravka, Matty Longstaff and Paul Dummett all remain on the sidelines because of injuries.
Brighton are assessing Adam Lallana and Ben White, who both limped off during their club debuts last weekend. Davy Propper and Alireza Jahanbakhsh both impressed in the Carabao Cup in midweek and are pushing for recalls.
Newcastle are winless in all six Premier League meetings (D4, L2) and have failed to score in five of those games. The Magpies have won just two of their past 14 fixtures against Brighton in all competitions (D6, L6). Brighton have only lost one of their past six league visits to St James’ Park (W2, D3).
Newcastle are looking to start a league season with consecutive victories for the first time since 1997-98. Their victory last weekend ended a six-game winless league streak (D2, L4). They have not won their opening home game in any of the past six seasons, losing the last three. Newcastle only managed one win in their final seven home league fixtures last term (D4, L2). Callum Wilson and Jeff Henrick can become the first players since Les Ferdinand to score in their opening two league fixtures for the Magpies. Wilson is looking to score in consecutive league matches for the first time since a four-game streak between August and September 2019.
Brighton are unbeaten in a top-flight club record seven away games (W2, D5) – the Premier League’s current longest away run without defeat. Graham Potter’s side have won just three of 19 league fixtures so far this calendar year (D9, D7). Brighton have conceded 13 goals in their past six league fixtures. They have only ever won one of their previous seven opening top-flight away fixtures (D1, L5), doing so in a 3-0 victory at Watford last season. Leandro Trossard has scored three goals in his last six league games, as many as in his first 26 appearances in the competition. If selected, Dale Stephens will become the fourth Brighton player to make 100 Premier League appearances.
Chelsea vs Liverpool
Stamford Birdge, London
Sunday, 20-09-2020 @6:30pm
Ref: Paul Tierney
Liverpool can equal their longest winning streak against Chelsea in the Premier League – four matches, set between November 2010 and May 2012. The Reds have won six of their past 12 league games at Stamford Bridge (D3, L3), including three of five under Jürgen Klopp. Chelsea won 2-0 at home in the most recent fixture between the sides, an FA Cup fifth-round tie in March.
Chelsea forward Timo Werner has overcome the dead leg he sustained when winning a penalty against Brighton on Monday night. The visit of Liverpool comes too soon for Thiago Silva and Christian Pulisic, while summer signings Ben Chilwell and Hakim Ziyech remain out.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp must decide whether to involve Thiago Alcantara following his £20m arrival on Friday. Klopp has reported no new injuries.
They have lost their opening home match in only two of 28 Premier League seasons: 2-1 against Blackburn in 1993 and 3-2 versus Burnley in 2017. Chelsea are unbeaten in their past 13 home league games against the reigning champions (W7, D6). The Blues ended last season with six consecutive home league victories and could win seven in a row at Stamford Bridge for the first time since December 2017. However, they lost eight home fixtures in all competitions last season, their most since 1985-86. Kepa Arrizabalaga has failed to stop nine of the last 13 shots on target he has faced in the division.
Liverpool can win their opening two league fixtures in three consecutive top-flight seasons for the first time. Since securing the league title in June, Liverpool have conceded 15 goals in eight games in the division. The previous 15 league goals they conceded came across a 23-match spell. The Reds set a club record of 14 top-flight away wins last season. Roberto Firmino and Trent Alexander-Arnold both scored home and away against Chelsea in last season’s Premier League; the last Liverpool player to score in three consecutive league matches in this fixture was Ian Rush between December 1989 and October 1990. Sadio Mane has failed to score in all five Liverpool appearances at Stamford Bridge in all competitions.
Leicester City vs Burnley
King Power Stadium, Leicestershire
Sunday, 20-09-2020 @9pm
Ref: Lee Mason
Leicester’s Jonny Evans serves the second game of a three-match ban, so midfielder Wilfred Ndidi may again fill in at centre-back even though Wes Morgan is now fully fit. Manager Brendan Rodgers could recall James Maddison to the starting line-up after the midfielder returned from injury as a substitute last weekend.
Burnley’s Johann Berg Gudmundsson is ruled out with a knee injury. James Tarkowski is a doubtful with a minor toe problem. Ben Mee, Jack Cork and Ashley Barnes remain sidelined.
Leicester are unbeaten in nine home league games against Burnley (W5, D4). The Clarets’ last top-flight win away to the Foxes was a 2-0 victory on 26 October 1968. Four of the past five games have ended 2-1, including the last three.
Leicester can begin a Premier League campaign with back-to-back wins for just the third time. They last did so in their title-winning season of 2015-16. The Foxes have lost their opening home match in just one of their past 13 top-flight campaigns (W7, D5), with that defeat a 5-0 loss to Bolton in 2001. Victory would give Brendan Rodgers the 100th Premier League win of his managerial career, in his 210th game. The only British managers to reach the milestone in fewer matches are Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Kenny Dalglish and Kevin Keegan. Jamie Vardy has scored with 27.5% of his Premier League shots since the start of last season, the best conversion rate of any player with at least 10 goals.
Burnley lost only one of their final eight Premier League away games last season (W5, D2), with that defeat coming at Manchester City on 22 June. The Clarets have not lost their opening league match in any of the previous three seasons, winning twice. Their tally of 15 league wins in 2019-20 was their highest in a top-flight season for 45 years. They also recorded 15 clean sheets – their best top-flight total since 1954-55. Chris Wood scored in Burnley’s final three games last season and can equal the club record by scoring in a fourth successive Premier League match. Phil Bardsley could make his 300th appearance in the English top flight.
The other upcoming Premier League games
Monday, 21-09-2020
-Aston Villa vs Sheffield United @8pm
-Wolves vs Man City @10:15pm
Premier League results, Saturday, 19-09-2020
-Everton 5-2 West Bromwich Albion 6
-Leeds United 4-2 Fulham
-Man United 1-3 Crystal Palace
-Arsenal 2-1 West Ham United
