Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Molineux, Saturday, 12:30pm Local, 7:30am Eastern

The weekend opens with a clash between two clubs who need to reset after major bumps in the road last time out. Wolves fell in slippery conditions, coming out on the wrong side of Sheffield United’s first win in the league this season. It was - perhaps coincidentally, perhaps not - also the Midlands outfit’s first match without Pedro Neto, their talismanic winger. While the pace and creativity Neto offers is missing, all isn’t lost for Wolves even with Tottenham coming to town. Gary O’Neill’s side is capable of - on their best day - containing and frustrating opponents, and they will hope that their defense can foil the injury ravaged Spurs. 

Speaking of that North London club (and their worrying injury list), Ange Postecoglou’s side received some of the worst possible news this week with both Micky van de Ven and James Maddison’s injuries confirmed to be long term. And those key absences stack on top of Richarlison, Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie, Manor Solomon, and more who miss through either injury or suspension. Tottenham suffered their first defeat last time out, but emerged with credit for holding to their principles and still looking the better side. This will be a different - harder - test, as the weight of those missing begins to strain the squad.

Arsenal vs. Burnley

Emirates Stadium, Saturday, 3pm Local, 10am Eastern

In the interest of sanity, let’s move along from VAR and referees in general. The Gunners were wildly disappointed with their result last time out but have a great chance to get back on track when Burnley come to town. Mikel Arteta’s side was stymied by Newcastle and failed to produce any real threat. This… shouldn’t be an issue against the stubborn Clarets. Arsenal took a step in the right direction in midweek by beating Sevilla, which fans will hope primed the pump for this weekend’s challenge. Bukayo Saka hasn’t quite looked the same since his injury scare last month, this will be an opportunity to find the rhythm he - and the rest of the front line - lacked last weekend. If he’s available that is, as he was brutally treated in the Champions League.

In lieu of covering Burnley in great detail - as their dedication to playing the exact same way every time with little evidence that it will succeed seems to be prevailing - I would like to applaud them for their handling of young forward Lyle Foster’s mental health journey. In a world where grinding it out and shelving pain for the good of the team is all too common, it’s refreshing to see a club protect its player and take valuable steps towards normalizing a pervasive affliction. As far as the match goes, there can be little doubt that Arsenal will run out comfortable victors.

Crystal Palace vs. Everton

Selhurst Park, Saturday, 3pm Local, 10am Eastern

In the Andros Townsend Derby, Crystal Palace host Sean Dyche’s Everton. The Eagles are coming off a fortifying, if uninspiring, win away at Burnley and have welcomed Eberechi Eze back into the squad after an injury. The quality and facilitation the young England star brings to the pitch may be exactly what Roy Hodgson’s side needs as the Toffees are sure to be difficult to break down. Beyond their specific opponent, Palace fans will gladly accept any sparks in what’s shaping up to be a season of sleepy survival in midtable. If the South London club can start hitting the offensive heights of the end of last season, it’s possible they can muscle their way up into the top half of the table. 

Everton have started to find their rhythm, turning positive underlying numbers into points on the board - leading a team that’s perennially struggled to avoid scrapping for survival to dream of cozy, boring normalcy. It’s unlikely that this matchup will produce fireworks, seeing as both sides are comfortable to cede possession and wait for optimal striking opportunities. The Toffees, despite sitting in 16th place, have conceded only 15 goals, which is fewer than Aston Villa, Brighton, and Manchester United. This Dyche-ian solidity, combined with a nascent attacking threat has made the Merseyside club a much better proposition in recent weeks. If Eze may be the key to Everton’s undoing, Dominic Calvert-Lewin may be the key to their joy.

Manchester United vs. Luton Town

Old Trafford, Saturday, 3pm Local, 10am Eastern

Manchester United continue to be dedicated to being a strange, undefinable club. They find ways to win - like last time out in the Premiership. And they find ways to absolutely capitulate - like last time out in the Champions League. They seem flat, dreary, and wholly capable of winning every match no matter how poorly they play. Luton, despite their last result, should be a manageable opponent for the Red Devils, who could badly do with an uneventful victory. In particular, the attackers could do with some good news: Marcus Rashford has found himself on the wrong end of scrutiny; Rasmus Højlund has yet to net in the league; Anthony Martial seems dead set on frustrating fans and neutrals alike. In a club desperate for a reset, this 3pm match could be the perfect chance to start building something positive. 

Luton Town seemed to crack the code last time out, earning a draw with Liverpool using smart, actionable tactics and not looking completely overmatched. This, Hatters fans will hope, could be the key to their success, a formula to follow and potentially survive. While Carlton Morris has been the main character of Rob Edward’s side for most of the campaign, Chiedozie Ogbene took the spotlight in their draw. His performances and his more reserved role may be the link that Luton needs to turn what few opportunities they get into clear chances to score. This could prove a task too difficult away at Old Trafford, but the Hatters have earned admirers for their recent showings. Why shouldn’t they have 2 magical weekends in a row?

Bournemouth vs. Newcastle United

Vitality Stadium, Saturday, 5:30pm Local, 12:30pm Eastern

The Cherries slipped back into the relegation places last weekend, following their dustbusting at the hands of Manchester City. While - in an ideal world - Andoni Iraola would like to pull Bournemouth out of the bottom three ahead of an international break, a clash with Newcastle isn’t exactly an ideal fixture for an under pressure manager. The South Coast club shouldn’t be judged too harshly for their last loss, nor should defeat to the Magpies be a catastrophe, but it’s hard to look at their points total and not begin to worry for them. Aside from the results, they’ve conceded the joint second most goals in the league and scored the joint fewest. It doesn’t take a supercomputer to tell you that’s not a winning formula. Any difficult fixture does have a silver lining, however, and a strong showing here could change the mood around the Vitality.

Newcastle maneuvered their way to a narrow win over Arsenal last time out but failed to capitalize in their Champions League fixture, losing to a brilliant Dortmund side. The Magpies have had great results in both competitions (on top of a phenomenal Carabao Cup run) and also fallen on their collective face several times. That balance was always going to be a challenge, even before their recent spate of injuries. On paper this should be a manageable fixture for Eddie Howe and his ragtag, well-funded crew. But when a club has no consistency they become wildcards, and a long trip to the South Coast could be a banana peel for the Tyneside club.

Liverpool vs. Brentford

Anfield, Sunday, 2pm Local, 9am Eastern

Liverpool come into their showdown with Brentford on Sunday somewhat deflated. An excellent string of results came crashing to a halt, and they followed up a league draw to Luton by losing in the Europa League to Toulouse - who aren’t exactly lighting up Ligue 1. This could well be a momentary blip, and a home fixture may be all that Jürgen Klopp’s side needs to reinvigorate their campaign. However, if the season is already wearing down the revampled Reds squad, supporters may begin wringing their hands. In much more positive news, Luis Díaz’s father has been released in Colombia, ending a nearly 2 week nightmare for the winger and his family. Díaz already had a magical moment last time out, scoring a late equalizer against Luton. Perhaps he’s primed for more with the weight of the world off of his shoulders.

Brentford are flying high, and the Bees come to Anfield in top form. Thomas Frank’sside muscled their way into the top half of the table last time out and bring a 3 game winning streak to the occasion. For all the attention Bryan Mbeumo and Yoanne Wissa have received, the West London side’s midfield has stepped up in a major way, adding goals from unlikely sources to ease pressure on their already taxed strikers. Brentford, if previous fixtures prove reliable, tend to sit in on their vists to Anfield, risking little in the hopes of having a point or points available to them in the final moments of the game. The Bees have the discipline and personnel to stay solid, but if they also have the durability to last the full 90 on Merseyside remains to be seen.

Aston Villa vs. Fulham

Villa Park, Sunday, 2pm Local, 9am Eastern

Villa is another club looking to bounce back after they were handled by Nottingham Forest last time out. The Birmingham club still go into the weekend in 5th place and will have all of Villa Park behind them when Fulham come to town. Fulham will likely try the same tactics that felled Villa last time, namely putting the onus on Unai Emery’s side to break down a stubborn defense instead of relying on space and counter attacks. For all that Villa have impressed, they’re weak when given the reigns to a match. This contest is a chance for them to develop and hone their tactics, and it may be their midfielders and not their speedy attackers who make the difference. Sunday seems set up for John McGinn to be the key man.

Marco Silva’s side were stung late when they last played, losing to Manchester United even after looking sharper for much of the match. While Fulham will still be disappointed with the loss, they can take the performance as a positive and try to replicate and improve on it this weekend. The Cottagers have been a bit confounding this season, and they sit in the lower reaches of the table but still safe from the relegation dogfight. If they want to avoid slipping further, however, it’s imperative that they find some vein of scoring form - they’ve scored only 9 goals so far, tied with Sheffield United and fewer than anyone else save Burnley. There’s no reason to think that Fulham are close to panic, but getting one of their buffering forwards in full-flow could save them a lot of headaches.

Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Sheffield United

Amex Stadium, Sunday, 2pm Local, 9am Eastern

Brighton, after rocketing into the campaign, have stagnated and slipped down to 8th place. There are easy answers as to why: new demands with European competition straining their squad; a growing injury list; high turnover in the transfer window. The cumulative result of these factors is that the Seagulls just look stretched. Roberto De Zerbi’s side host Sheffield United who, despite coming off of their first win, sit rock bottom of the table. This should be the perfect opportunity to show their best side and find the rhythm that’s been lacking in the league recently. Evan Ferguson, Carlos Baleba, and Simon Adingra are just a few of Brighton’s next generation - Seagulls fans would love to seem them click on Sunday afternoon.

The Blades tasted victory for the fist time in the league last time out, going ahead in soggy Bramall Lane with a last minute penalty. Paul Heckingbottom will try to use the emotional release of that moment to fuel a revitalized push to keep Sheffield United in touching distance of safety. That’s easier said than done, however, and Brighton will serve up no shortage of attacking threat. The Blades will set up with a low block and force Brighton to prove they can solve that problem - a tactic that’s worked for other clubs. Whether or not Sheffiled are quite sturdy enough to pull it off remains to be seen. If they are able to score, it’s likely to come from a line breaking run from Cameron Archer, whose heart may still be racing after a fine finish last time out.

West Ham United vs. Nottingham Forest

London Stadium, Sunday, 2pm Local, 9am Eastern

West Ham, like Brighton, have seen the shine wear off their early season success (though they’re performing very well in Europe). Last weekend’s defeat to Brentford pushed them down to 11th and they host Nottingham Forest on Sunday, who are still basking in the glow of their 2-0 defeat of Villa. While West Ham haven’t looked their best recently, they can still feel positive about one thing: Mohammed Kudus has arrived. David Moyes has found a way to include the Ghanaian in many of his recent starting 11s and he brings a quality and it factor which is good for a magic moment or two every time out. At home on the weekend, Hammers fans will home that he can start to creep the East London club back up the league table.

Steve Cooper’s side earned a much need win when the played last, and they can bring that renewed confidence to the London Stadium. While the goal scoers (Ola Aina and Orel Mangala) are unlikely to continue their scoring ways, their strong defensive showing is a platform to build on. Taiwo Awoniyi hasn’t been able to maintain his spicy goal scoring pace, but, as he builds his form and fitness back up, the end product will come. West Ham are unlikely to leave acres of space to play into, so it may not be a game for Anthony Elanga to shine. This match should be a good barometer for both teams, as both will feel they - on their day - could easily win.

Chelsea vs. Manchester City

Stamford Bridge, Sunday, 4:30pm Local, 11:30am Eastern

In previous seasons this would have felt like a seismic clash. But, while Chelsea and City squaring off will always be exciting, there is a prevading sense of dread that the Machester side can walk this match and may be about to walk the league. Chelsea, it must be said, did win last time out, but their defeat of Tottenham was swiss-cheese riddled with mitigating factors, and they looked poor playing against 9 men for an extended period. Mauricio Pochettino’s start with the club has been a bit of a rollercoaster, but the West London club has conceded only 12 goals. Keeping their opponents out will be a huge ask, but absorbing pressure and trying to spring on the break may be their only way forward in this match.

Manchester City weathered a rough patch earlier in the season, losing three matches in a row when Rodri was suspended. However, outside of those contests, it’s been a procession of victories. Despite being cold blooded killers, they do have a concerning injury update with John Stones set to miss “a while.” Pep himself has described Stones as key to their playing style, and his shifting role between defense in midfield is hard to replicate. It remains to be seen if his absence is enough to trouble the Champions, but it’s possible they have difficulty adjusting. Chelsea, without wishing to be unkind, aren’t an opponent that should worry City on paper - they’re simply too raw. However, if the Blues stay compact and can avoid an early goal, they could make life difficult for Guardiola’s side.