Chelsea vs Crystal Palace
Stamford Birdge, London
Saturday, 03-10-2020 @2:30pm
Ref: Michael Oliver
Chelsea have won five successive matches against Crystal Palace. The last time the Eagles beat the Blues was in October 2017 to give manager Roy Hodgson his first league victory with the club. Palace have won just two of their 11 top-flight away games against Chelsea (D1, L8). None of the past 18 Premier League meetings have finished level, with Chelsea winning 14 matches to Palace’s four.
Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and left-back Ben Chilwell could make their league debuts for Chelsea after starting the Carabao Cup game at Tottenham. Forward Timo Werner suffered from cramp in Tuesday’s match but is available, while winger Christian Pulisic is fit enough to feature as as substitute.
Crystal Palace are without striker Michy Batshuayi, who is ineligible against his parent club. Jeffrey Schlupp misses a second consecutive game with a muscle strain. Gary Cahill, James Tomkins and Patrick van Aanholt are back in training following lay-offs but are not yet ready to feature.
Frank Lampard’s side could suffer back-to-back home defeats in the league for the first time since December 2019, when they were beaten by Bournemouth and Southampton. Chelsea have not lost their opening two home league matches in a season since the 1978-79 campaign, when the Blues went on to be relegated from the top flight. They have conceded at least three goals in four of their past 10 league games, as many times as in their previous 56 matches. Chelsea have ended the last two seasons with the best record in Premier League London derbies, and took 16 points from eight such matches in 2019-20.
Crystal Palace are looking to win their first two away matches in a Premier League season for the third time. They could become just the second team to win at Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford in consecutive Premier League away games, emulating Sunderland in 2014. The Eagles have won eight Premier League fixtures away to sides from the established top six since August 2015, including two at Chelsea. Roy Hodgson has lost six consecutive Premier League matches at Stamford Bridge since winning his first such encounter with Blackburn in April 1998. Wilfried Zaha has been involved in six goals in his 12 league games against Chelsea, scoring three and assisting three.
Everton vs Brighton and Hove Albion
Goodison Park, Liverpool
Saturday, 03-10-2020 @5pm
Ref: Simon Hooper
Everton midfielder Allan is sidelined with a groin injury sustained during the League Cup win against West Ham. Richarlison will be assessed after he was substituted with an ankle problem on Wednesday but Jonjoe Kenny, Andre Gomes, Mason Holgate and Jarrad Branthwaite are all out.
Brighton & Hove Albion have no new injuries and will rotate their squad after making nine League Cup changes. Davy Propper is set to be available after the international break.
Brighton are winless in their eight away fixtures against Everton in all competitions, losing all three Premier League matches at Goodison Park (D2, L6). The Seagulls have not earned an away point at Everton since a 2-2 draw in October 1982.
Everton have won their opening six games of a season in all competitions for the first time since 1938. They can win their first four top-flight matches for a sixth time, and the first since 1969. In four of the five previous seasons they achieved this feat, they went on to win the league title. Everton last won four Premier League fixtures in a row between August and September 2016, under Ronald Koeman. The Toffees have scored eight goals in their first three games, a club Premier League record. Everton have had 59 sequences of 10 passes or more in open play in the Premier League this season, second only to Liverpool’s 60. Dominic Calvert-Lewin can become the first Everton player to score in the opening four matches of a Premier League season. James Rodriguez has created 15 chances in four games for Everton in all competitions, the most of any Premier League player in 2020-21. Rodriguez has registered 15 goals and 16 assists in 35 league appearances under Carlo Ancelotti.
Brighton can win two of their opening four top-flight matches for the first time. They can also register three successive top-flight away victories for the first time. The Seagulls are currently on a club record run of eight top-flight away games unbeaten (W3, D5). Brighton have drawn a league-high nine times in 2020. They are averaging 14.7 shots per game in the league this season, their highest rate in the Premier League. Neil Maupay has scored three goals in his three Premier League appearances this season. It took him 10 games to score four in 2019-20.
Leeds United vs Man City
Elland Road, Yorkshire
Saturday, 03-10-2020 @7:30pm
Ref: Mike Dean
After last weekend’s shocking 5-2 loss to Leicester City, Man City will be desperate for victory when they take on a Leeds United side that has had a fair return ro the Premier League after 16 years.
This is the first competitive meeting between the teams since 2013, when City won 4-0 at home in an FA Cup tie. The most recent encounter at Elland Road ended 2-1 to Leeds in the Premier League in March 2004. Manchester City have beaten Leeds in only two of the seven Premier League away fixtures, losing five times.
Leeds United have no new injury concerns but on-loan midfielder Jack Harrison is ineligible to face his parent club. Ezgjan Alioski is set to come in, while Pablo Hernandez is still sidelined.
Manchester City centre-back Aymeric Laporte could make a first Premier League appearance since July after completing coronavirus protocols. Ruben Dias is in contention for his debut but Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel Jesus and Ilkay Gundogan remain out.
The Whites have won 14 of their past 17 league matches, keeping clean sheets in 11 of those victories. Leeds can earn three consecutive Premier League wins for the first time since January 2003. The eight goals scored by Leeds equals the record for a promoted side after three games, last set by Bolton Wanderers in 2001. They have scored a league-high five goals from a set-piece. Patrick Bamford has scored three goals in three Premier League appearances this season, after scoring one in 27 matches for Crystal Palace, Norwich City, Burnley and Middlesbrough. Kalvin Phillips has created nine goalscoring opportunities in the Premier League this season, the most of any Leeds player.
Manchester City could lose successive league fixtures for the first time since December 2018. They have won three successive Premier League away matches, by an aggregate score of 12-1. City’s solitary defeat in their past 31 top-flight meetings with promoted teams came at Norwich in September last year (W25, D5). They let in five goals against Leicester last time out, matching the total tally they had conceded in the previous 11 league games. It was the first time a Pep Guardiola team had conceded five times – in his 686th match as a manager – and the first time in 12 years that City had let in five goals. Guardiola is undefeated in three previous meetings with Marcelo Bielsa, when the pair were in charge of Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao respectively (W2, D1). Kevin De Bruyne has been directly involved in 35 Premier League goals (14 goals, 21 assists) since the start of last season, two more than any other player during that period.
Newcastle United vs Burnley
St. James Park, Newcastle upon Tyne
Saturday, 03-10-2020
Ref: David Coote
Newcastle are hopeful that winger Allan Saint-Maximin will be fit to return on Saturday after a three-match absence with an ankle problem. Jamaal Lascelles and Emil Krafth are doubts, while Matt Ritchie is expected to be out for at least two months because of a shoulder injury.
Burnley wingers Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Robbie Brady could be involved after recovering from injury. Ashley Barnes and James Tarkowski made their comebacks in the Carabao Cup. Wednesday night’s appearance by striker Barnes was his first since New Year’s Day. His lengthy lay-off was a consequence of complications following hernia surgery, while Tarkowski missed the start of this season because of a toe injury.
Newcastle are unbeaten in seven home league matches against Burnley since a 1-0 defeat in April 1976. However, Burnley have kept successive Premier League clean sheets in this fixture.
Steve Bruce’s side have lost three home league games in a row, conceding three goals each time. Only Crystal Palace and Fulham have suffered that sequence in four consecutive Premier League home fixtures. Newcastle’s only top-flight victory in the past eight attempts at St James’ Park came against Sheffield United in June (D4, L3). The 2005-06 season is the only time they have failed to score in each of their first two Premier League home matches. Jeff Hendrick scored nine goals in 122 Premier League appearances for Burnley. He could become just the third player to score for and against the Clarets in the competition, emulating Andre Gray and Danny Ings. Andy Carroll has gone 37 Premier League appearances without a goal since scoring in the 90th minute of West Ham’s 1-1 home draw against Stoke in April 2018.
Burnley could begin a season with three straight league defeats for the first time since 2003-04 in what is now the Championship. They last did so in the top flight back in 1927-28. The Clarets have scored in each of their past five Premier League away fixtures, earning 10 points. Their shot conversion rate of 7.7% is the worst in the division this season except for goalless Sheffield United. Burnley have scored with two of their 26 attempts on goal. They are winless in each of the past 19 Premier League fixtures that James Tarkowski has missed, losing 11 of those matches.
Sunday’s Premier League fixtures
-Leicester City vs West Ham United @2pm
-Southampton vs West Bromwich Albion @2pm
-Arsenal vs Sheffield United @4pm
-Wolves vs Fulham @4pm
-Man United vs Tottenham Hotspur @6:30pm
-Aston Villa vs Liverpool @9:45pm
