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WEST HAM VS LIVERPOOL
Slaven Bilic is in need of another big result as Premier League strugglers West Ham host Liverpool on Saturday.
Bilic was given two games to save his job after a dismal 3-0 defeat to Brighton, and made the best start possible with a shock 3-2 EFL Cup comeback against Tottenham at Wembley.
West Ham were within seconds of claiming a vital League win at Crystal Palace, but a moment of madness from Michail Antonio saw the Hammers lose possession and concede a 96th-minute equaliser against fellow strugglers Crystal Palace.
The Hammers remain 16th in the table as a result – one point off the drop zone – and host a Liverpool side who waltzed to a 4-0 victory the last time they visited London Stadium.
Michail Antonio, who has endured a stop/start season so far after recovering from a summer operation to repair a torn hamstring, has suffered a recurrence of a rib injury sustained during West Ham’s 3-0 home defeat by Brighton.
Right-back Pablo Zabaleta is suspended after picking up his fifth booking, while both central defender Jose Fonte and left back Aaron Cresswell were injured at Selhurst Park.
Of the pair, Cresswell has the better chance of recovering in time while New Zealand international Winston Reid, who missed the match with a calf strain, could return.
Georginio Wijnaldum is a doubt for Liverpool, with the midfielder requiring a scan on an ankle injury.
OTHER SATURDAY FIXTURES
Stoke City VS Leicester City
Huddersfield Town VS West Bromwich Albion
Newcastle United VS AFC Bournemouth
Southampton VS Burnley
Swansea City VS Brighton & Hove Albion
SUNDAY FIXTURES
TOTTENHAM VS CRYSTAL PALACE
Tottenham must put their Champions League heroics against Real Madrid to one side on Sunday and focus their attentions on Premier League London rivals Crystal Palace.
Spurs bounced back from domestic disappointments in the EFL Cup against West Ham and League rivals Manchester United to stun Zinedine Zidane’s Real, with Dele Alli (two) and Christian Eriksen sealing a memorable 3-1 win at Wembley.
While Spurs may have swept aside the Champions League holders with it, it is games against the likes of Palace that could well define their season in terms of a credible title challenge.
Palace, meanwhile, head to Wembley with growing confidence after snatching a late 2-2 draw against West Ham, and Roy Hodgson’s Eagles have already shown they can surprise the big boys by beating Chelsea this season.
MANCHESTER CITY VS ARENAL
It is getting to the point where even the biggest cynics in football are wondering if Manchester City can go an entire season unbeaten.
Arsenal may not be what they were 13 years ago, but as the last team to do that, the Gunners an ideal team for City to face as their next test at the Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola’s side have won ten of their first eleven games, amassing 28 points, and they have averaged over three goals per game.
They are understandably trying to downplay their form at this early stage, but it does suggest they will be huge favourites for the game on Sunday.
Arsenal do not have a great record in games against the other big teams, losing 4-0 to Liverpool earlier in the season at Anfield.
The heart of the players and Arsene Wenger’s tactical approach have both been heavily criticised, but they did show they can compete when they went to Stamford Bridge and defended well for a 0-0 draw. Stopping this City side will be a completely different level, though, and we think it could be a comfortable home win.
As already mentioned, Guardiola’s men have reached new heights this season. Their style of play, always looking to score and keep possession, has cast doubts over their ability to win when the going gets tough.
But beating Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge, and conceding just six times all season, suggests they can mix it up and should have no problems.
Letting in two at the Hawthorns last week may cause some worries, though, especially now Mesut Özil, Alexis Sanchez and Alexandre Lacazette are beginning to find a rhythm in the same team. But sitting five points clear at the top of the Premier League will only increase their confidence.
CHELSEA VS MANCHESTER UNITED
Chelsea face a huge Premier League title challenge as Jose Mourinho returns to Stamford Bridge with Manchester United.
Antonio Conte’s Blues stormed to the 2016-17 title, but the champions have endured a tough start to the new campaign as they sit nine points behind leaders Manchester City after just 10 games.
The visit of United could scarcely come at a worse time for Conte, with the Blues heading into Sunday’s game off the back of a 3-0 thrashing by Roma in the Champions League.
Meanwhile, former Chelsea boss Mourinho – sacked twice by Roman Abramovich – also has a point to prove despite United’s strong start, with the Portuguese coach under pressure to prove that he can and will attack title rivals away from home.
The big question mark over Chelsea’s line-up this weekend will be N’Golo Kante, with Conte insisting that the French midfielder will only play if he is 100 per cent fit.
But Conte may be tempted to put Kante straight back into action after the way Cesc Fabregas and Tiemoue Bakayokjo struggled together in central midfield against Roma.
Conte also has some tough decisions to make in defence, with his back three of Gary Cahill, David Luiz and Antonio Rudiger struggling against Roma after the coach decided to switch Rudiger and Cahill either side of Luiz.
Mourinho’s midfield problems continue with Paul Pogba, Michael Carrick and Marouane Fellaini still out of action, though Scott McTominay could be pushing for a surprise start after a competent full debut in the Champions League win over Benfica.
Anthony Martial – so often a threat for United off the bench this season – will also be hoping for a starting role after a match-winning goal against Tottenham last weekend.
EVERTON VS WATFORD
There is a certain irony about Watford facing Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday and not just because the Toffees are reportedly interested in hiring former Hornets favourite Sean Dyche as their new manager.
After flexing their muscles in the summer, spending £150million on a new squad in a bid to close the gap to the top six, Everton have fallen flat on their faces in recent weeks. Having sacked Ronald Koeman, they find themselves in the bottom three.
Meanwhile, Watford were predicted to struggle badly by most who viewed their summer transfers. It always felt rather unfair, because they had actually signed some good players.
Richarlison has been the pick of the bunch, with the Brazilian inspiring them into the top eight. Marco Silva’s reputation has continued to grow after some sterling work at Hull last season and he seems to be building something quite impressive at Vicarage Road.
Despite a shock defeat at home to Stoke last week, we are backing Watford to add insult to injury for Everton.
Even ignoring the fact they’ve spent so much money in the summer, Everton’s form has been abysmal this season. Just two wins in ten games, with six defeats, has them 18th. But it is quite astonishing that so much has been put into making the squad better, yet the lack a main striker and still have a slow, ageing defence. Scoring just seven times, conceding 20, means they are in genuine danger of relegation if matters don’t improve soon. David Unsworth is in caretaker charge and he has so far overseen a Carabao Cup defeat to Chelsea and a poor defeat at the King Power Stadium against Leicester.
Watford lost perhaps the first game they were expected to win last weekend. Silva has always made his home a fortress, arriving in England unbeaten at his own stadium with three different clubs since 2014.
That record was always likely to go and it did at Hull, but losing to a Stoke side who hadn’t won on the road was a real blow for them.
Overall, though, they are going well; Silva has played an open style of play and they have scored 15 goals, the most of anyone outside the top six. Their only other defeats came against league leaders Manchester City and champions Chelsea.
