Aston Villa vs Southampton
Villa Park, Birmingham
Sunday, 01-11-2020 @3pm
Ref: Darren England
Aston Villa head coach Dean Smith has an unchanged squad for Sunday’s visit of Southampton. Smith has only changed his starting line-up once in the Premier League all season, when Ross Barkley came in for Conor Hourihane.
On-loan winger Theo Walcott is available for Southampton, having been ineligible to face parent club Everton last weekend. Moussa Djenepo, Will Smallbone and Mohammed Salisu remain sidelined.
Southampton could earn four consecutive league wins against Aston Villa for the first time since August 1989. Saints can match their longest Premier League unbeaten away run against one team, which stands at six matches against both Bolton Wanderers and Crystal Palace.
Villa are winless in the past seven Premier League meetings and have conceded 16 goals in the last five.
The 3-0 home defeat by Leeds last time out ended Aston Villa’s eight-match unbeaten league run (W6, D2). Villa can win five of their opening six matches of a top-flight season for the third time, emulating 1906-07 and 1930-31. Aston Villa’s fifth league victory last season didn’t come until their 19th fixture, on Boxing Day. They have taken 10 points from their past four top-flight matches played on a Sunday. Dean Smith’s side have the division’s best defensive record so far, conceding five goals and keeping three clean sheets.
Ten points after six games represents Southampton’s best start to a season since 2014. Southampton’s tally of 12 top-flight wins in 2020 is bettered only by Liverpool and Manchester City. Their only defeat in the past eight Premier League away matches came at Crystal Palace on the opening weekend of this season (W4, D3, L1). Manager Ralph Hasenhüttl has won 13 away fixtures in the Premier League, just one behind Ronald Koeman’s club record tally. Hasenhüttl’s average of 1.42 points per away game in the Premier League is the best ratio of any Southampton manager. Shane Long has been directly involved in 11 goals in his eight most recent Premier League appearances against Aston Villa, scoring seven and setting up four. Che Adams has scored six goals in 12 top-flight matches for Southampton, having failed to score in any of his first 24 appearances in the division. James Ward-Prowse celebrates his 26th birthday on the day of this match. The only Southampton player to score a Premier League goal on his birthday was Neil Maddison in October 1993.
Newcastle United vs Everton
St. James Park, Newcastle upon Tyne
Sunday, 01-11-2020 @5pm
Ref: Scot Attwell
Newcastle’s only two victories in the past 15 Premier League meetings with Everton both came at home, in December 2014 and March 2019 (D3, L10). There have been 50 Premier League matches between Newcastle United and Everton. The Toffees lead by 21 wins to 18, with 11 draws. The 16 Premier League red cards in games between these sides is the third highest tally of any fixture in the division.
Newcastle captain Jamal Lascelles is a doubt for Sunday’s game because of a foot injury. Brothers Sean and Matty Longstaff are now fit, and fellow midfielder Isaac Hayden is also in contention after recovering from a hamstring problem.
Injured Everton playmaker James Rodriguez will miss out and club captain Seamus Coleman is still sidelined by a hamstring strain. Jonjoe Kenny and Jarrad Branthwaite are in contention after ankle injuries. Lucas Digne and Richarlison are serving suspensions for red cards.
Newcastle have won only one of their past seven Premier League home matches, failing to keep a clean sheet and conceding an average of 2.4 goals per game. No Premier League side has registered fewer shots on target this season than Newcastle’s 14. Callum Wilson has been directly involved in five of his side’s eight Premier League goals this season, scoring four and setting up one. Steve Bruce has won only three of his 22 Premier League fixtures as a manager versus Everton (D8, L11).
Everton have equalled their best record after six fixtures of a Premier League campaign, emulating the 2004-05, 2012-13 and 2016-17 seasons. The Toffees have only drawn one of their 13 Premier League away games during Carlo Ancelotti’s reign. They are looking to avoid becoming the tenth side to have a player sent off in three successive Premier League outings. Everton can lose consecutive top-flight matches for the first time since a run of three from November to December 2019.
Man United vs Arsenal
Old Trafford, Manchester
Sunday, 01-11-2020 @7:30pm
Ref: Mike Dean
Manchester United defender Alex Telles misses out due to a positive Covid-19 test. Anthony Martial serves the final match of a three-game ban.
Arsenal’s David Luiz is set to miss out because of a thigh injury sustained during Sunday’s defeat by Leicester. Manager Mikel Arteta will bring back a host of first-team regulars who were rested for Thursday’s win over Dundalk.
Manchester United are winless in the past four league meetings (D2, L2). However, they are unbeaten in 13 home league games against Arsenal since a 1-0 defeat in September 2006 (W8, D5). The Gunners haven’t kept a Premier League clean sheet at Old Trafford since 2009. They are aiming to win back-to-back Premier League matches against Manchester United for the first time since 2006-07.
Manchester United have taken one point from three matches at Old Trafford this season. They haven’t failed to win any of their first four home league games of the season since 1972-73. They are without a home league win in five games, their longest such run since February 1990. United have already conceded 12 goals, their worst defensive record after five matches of a top-flight season for 60 years. This will be Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s 100th game in charge of Manchester United (W55, D21, L23). Donny van de Beek has had just 64 minutes of Premier League action in 2020-21 but has been on the pitch when United have scored five of their nine goals.
Arsenal could lose three league games in a row for the first time under Mikel Arteta. They could also fail to score in three consecutive Premier League matches for the first time since 2016. The Gunners have lost six of their past nine Premier League away matches. Arteta’s side have kept only one clean sheet in their last 11 league fixtures. Arsenal have averaged just 8.8 shots and 1.3 goals per game in this season’s Premier League, their lowest tallies since 1997-98 and 1995-96 respectively. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has gone five league matches without a goal, his worst run since November 2014 when he was playing for Borussia Dortmund.
Tottenham Hotspur vs Brighton and Hove Albion
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
Sunday, 01-11-2020 @10:15pm
Ref: Graham Scott
Tottenham have won their past five home meetings with Brighton in all competitions. Brighton have lost six successive away matches against Spurs. The Seagulls haven’t won at Tottenham since a 1-0 victory in October 1981.
Tottenham head coach Jose Mourinho is set to rotate his squad after describing Spurs’ performance in the midweek Europa League defeat as poor. Eric Dier and Tanguy Ndombele are expected to be fit after being rested for Thursday’s game as a precaution.
Brighton captain Lewis Dunk is banned and forward Alireza Jahanbakhsh is out with a hamstring problem. Midfielder Davy Propper has a slim chance of featuring after returning from an Achilles injury. Danny Welbeck could make his first appearance for the club. He was an unused substitute for Monday’s draw with West Brom.
Tottenham are unbeaten in five league matches (W3, D2). They have scored a league-high 16 goals going into this weekend. However, they could go four home league fixtures without a win for the first time since December 2013. Harry Kane has been directly involved in 13 goals this season, the most ever recorded by a player after six games of a Premier League campaign. Kane’s eight assists in six Premier League appearances is already the most he has provided in an entire season. Son Heung-min has scored 10 goals in his past seven games in all competitions, with eight of those coming in the Premier League.
Brighton have drawn their past two matches and have won just once in the league this season (D2, L3). Nonetheless, the Seagulls have lost just one of their past 10 Premier League away games (W3, D6). Albion have conceded seven goals from set-pieces in the Premier League this season, the highest number in the division. They have lost 16 of their past 18 Premier League away fixtures versus the established top-six teams (W1, D1). Neal Maupay has scored four of Brighton’s five first-half goals in this season’s Premier League – the other was an own goal.
Upcoming Premier League games
Monday, 02-11-2020
-Fulham vs West Bromwich Albion @8:30pm
-Leeds United vs Leicester City @11pm
Match-Day 7 results so far
Friday, 30-10-2020
-Wolves 2-0 Crystal Palace
Saturday, 31-11-2020
-Sheffield United 0-1 Man City
-Burnley 0-3 Chelsea
-Liverpool 2-1 West Ham United
