West Ham United vs Man City
London Stadium, London
Saturday, 24-10-2020 @2:30pm
Ref: Anthony Taylor
Defeat for West Ham would equal their club record of 10 successive losses against one opponent, set against Arsenal between 2010 to 2015. Manchester City have won all five of their away matches in all competitions at the London Stadium by an aggregate score of 22-1, scoring at least four times in each. City have scored in 18 consecutive matches against West Ham in all competitions, dating back to November 2012.
West Ham’s new signing Said Benrahma is expected to be among the substitutes. Michail Antonio is available despite being taken off against Tottenham as a precaution, while fellow forward Sebastien Haller is back after a knock.
Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho will be out for up to four weeks after he suffered a leg injury against Porto. Kevin de Bruyne and Aymeric Laporte have returned to training but manager Pep Guardiola would not say if they will be involved. Nathan Ake could also return, but Gabriel Jesus and Benjamin Mendy remain out.
The last time West Ham played Manchester City when they sat above them in the table was in March 2009. The Hammers won that match 1-0. They have scored 10 goals in their past three Premier League games. The Hammers haven’t scored three or more goals in four consecutive league matches since September 1928. David Moyes’ side have scored three or more goals in nine different Premier League matches in 2020, the joint most of any side along with Manchester City. Moyes has only won more Premier League fixtures as a manager versus Fulham than the 12 he has against Manchester City.
Manchester City can lose more than one of their opening five league matches of a season for the first time since 2008-09. City have lost their last six Premier League away fixtures when they have conceded the opening goal. Manager Pep Guardiola has won all nine of his matches against West Ham by an aggregate score of 30-3. It is the joint-best 100% win ratio of his career along with fixtures against Watford and Bournemouth. A team managed by the Spaniard has never failed to reach double figures in points after five fixtures of a top-flight campaign in his 11 previous seasons as a boss. Raheem Sterling has been directly involved in 11 goals in his past six league starts against West Ham (six goals and five assists). He scored a hat-trick at the London Stadium in City’s 5-0 win last season.
Fulham vs Crystal Palace
Craven Cottage, London
Saturday, 24-10-2020 @5pm
Ref: Graham Scot
Fulham are unlikely to risk playing Harrison Reed, who only recently returned to training after a month out with a knee injury. Terence Kongolo could make his debut but Josh Onomah has been left out of Fulham’s 25-man Premier League squad because of a knee problem.
Crystal Palace are without Gary Cahill, who was injured in a challenge by Brighton’s Lewis Dunk last week. Jordan Ayew and Jack Butland are self-isolating after getting coronavirus.
The teams last met in the Premier League in 2018-19, with Palace winning both matches 2-0. The Eagles are looking to win three consecutive league matches against Fulham for the first time since October 1930. Palace can also earn consecutive competitive away victories against Fulham for the first time.
They can equal their longest winless run from the beginning of a Premier League campaign – six matches in 2011-12. The Cottagers have never lost each of their opening three home league fixtures in a season. Fulham’s only away victory in their past 24 top-flight games was 1-0 at Bournemouth in April 2019 (D3, L20). They are on a record run of 11 consecutive Premier League defeats in London derbies. The age difference of 33 years and 65 days between Fulham boss Scott Parker and Crystal Palace counterpart Roy Hodgson is the second-biggest gap between two English managers for a Premier League game. Parker made seven appearances for England under Hodgson’s management, including starting all four matches at Euro 2012.
Crystal Palace have lost five of their past six Premier League away matches, failing to score in all five defeats. They have also failed to score in six of their last seven away games in all competitions. The Eagles have kept two clean sheets in their past 28 Premier League London derbies. Roy Hodgson was manager of Fulham from 2007 to 2010. He guided the Cottagers to the 2009-10 Europa League final, which they lost 2-1 after extra time against Atletico Madrid. Wilfried Zaha has scored four of Palace’s six Premier League goals this season.
Man United vs Chelsea
Old Trafford, Manchester
Saturday, 24-10-2020 @7:30pm
Ref: Martin Atkinson
Manchester United can win three consecutive top-flight meetings against Chelsea for the first time since September 1965 under Sir Matt Busby. Chelsea are winless in their last seven Premier League away matches against Manchester United (D4, L3). It is the Blues’ longest run without a top-flight win at Old Trafford since a 16-game streak between September 1920 and January 1957. Chelsea are the only club to have won more Premier League fixtures (18) versus Manchester United than they have lost (17).
Edinson Cavani is in contention to make his Manchester United debut and a first league appearance since featuring for Paris Saint-Germain in February. Harry Maguire and Mason Greenwood should be available but Anthony Martial is suspended, while Eric Bailly may miss four weeks with a muscular injury.
Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa is sidelined with a shoulder injury, with Billy Gilmour the only other absentee. Hakim Ziyech could make his first start after two substitute appearances.
Manchester United could lose their opening three home league matches for only the second time in their history and first since 1930, when they finished bottom of the First Division. United last lost three consecutive league fixtures at Old Trafford in February 1979. A fifth successive winless Premier League match at home would set a new club record for the competition. The Red Devils have gained an unsurpassed 13 points from losing positions in 2020. Bruno Fernandes has been directly involved in 20 goals in 18 Premier League appearances, scoring 11 and setting up nine. It’s the best return of any United player since his debut in February. Marcus Rashford has scored four goals in his past three games against Chelsea in all competitions, including a brace in this fixture last season. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has won four of his six matches as Manchester United manager against Chelsea (D1, L1).
Chelsea have drawn four of their eight matches in all competitions this season (W3, L1). They won five of their opening six Premier League away fixtures under Frank Lampard, but have triumphed in only five of the subsequent 15 (D4, L6). The Blues have conceded 63 goals in 43 Premier League matches under Lampard at an average of 1.5 goals per game – the worst rate of any permanent Blues boss. Chelsea have let in a league-high 42 away goals since the start of last season. In 2020, only Arsenal (15) have dropped more points from winning positions in the Premier League than Chelsea’s 13. Timo Werner has scored 30 league goals since the start of last season, a record only bettered in Europe’s top five leagues by Robert Lewandowski, Ciro Immobile and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Liverpool vs Sheffield United
Anfield Stadium, Liverpool
Saturday, 24-10-2020 @10pm
Ref: Mike Dean
Fabinho looks set to continue deputising for Virgil van Dijk in Liverpool’s defence after impressing in the Champions League win at Ajax. There is still no timescale on Van Dijk’s absence with a knee injury, while Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara will be assessed.
Rhian Brewster could make his first Premier League start for Sheffield United on his return to Anfield. John Fleck and Lys Mousset will both miss around six weeks through injury. Manager Chris Wilder is already without defender Jack O’Connell, while Max Lowe’s Premier League debut was cut short last Sunday after he suffered a concussion.
Liverpool have won three Premier League games in a row against Sheffield United without conceding. Sheffield United have lost 19 of the past 23 top-flight away meetings since a 2-1 victory in April 1994 (W3, D1).
Liverpool could go three consecutive Premier League matches without a win for the first time since May 2018. However, the Reds are unbeaten in their past 61 Premier League home games, winning 27 of their last 28 at Anfield. They have scored 162 goals at an average of 2.7 per game during that run, conceding just 40 at 0.7 per game. Liverpool have conceded 13 goals after five league matches for the first time since 1953. The 25 goals let in by Liverpool since June’s Premier League resumption is the second most of any side, behind Crystal Palace’s 26. Mo Salah has scored 100 goals in 159 games for Liverpool in all competitions. He’s the third quickest player to reach the milestone for Liverpool, behind Roger Hunt (144) and Jack Parkinson (153). Salah and Sadio Mane have scored 10 of Liverpool’s 13 Premier League goals this season. Roberto Firmino has scored only one goal from his last 57 attempts at Anfield.
Sheffield United have earned one point from their five Premier League games this season and scored a league-low two goals. They are the only top-flight side left yet to take the lead in a match. The Blades have failed to win in their opening five league games for the first time since 2006-07, when they were relegated from the Premier League. United are winless in eight Premier League fixtures since beating Chelsea 3-0 on 11 July (D1, L7). Sheffield United have lost 16 of their last 17 away league matches against the reigning top-flight champions, with their only victory coming in 1971-72 at Arsenal. They have not scored more than one goal in any of their past 13 Premier League away games, totalling only six since beating Norwich 2-1 in December 2019. Billy Sharp is one short of 100 league goals for Sheffield United. The first came in a 2-1 home win against Coventry City in the Championship on 11 March 2008.
Upcoming Premier League games
Sunday, 25-10-2020
-Southampton vs Everton @5pm
-Wolves vs Newcastle United @7:30pm
-Arsenal vs Leicester City @10:15pm
Monday, 26-10-2020
-Brighton vs West Bromwich Albion @8:30pm
-Burnley vs Tottenham Hotspur @11pm
Results so far
Friday, 23-10-2010
-Aston Villa 0-3 Leeds United
