Arsenal vs. Wolves

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

The Gunners have their first opportunity to defend top spot in the table this Saturday, when they host Wolves at the Emirates. Some of Mikel Arteta’s play has drawn criticism for lacking the spark of last season - critiques that were amplified in the wake of their narrow defeat of Brentford. In midweek, however, the North London side showed that it still very much has the capacity to overrun teams, defeating Lens 6-0 in the Champions League. Their opponents, Wolves, have proven dangerous, and Arsenal may need to harness their momentum from their European adventure if they want to earn all 3 points. While the Gunners still have some injury concerns, their attack has been boosted by Gabriel Jesus’ return - they'll be sorely disappointed if they don’t bring enough firepower on the day.

Wolves are 12th in the table and have plenty of reasons to believe that they should be even higher. Gary O’Neill received yet another apology from the officials after their match on Monday, and he delivered a measured but forceful condemnation of the state of refereeing. None of this adds any points to the Midlands club’s total, but it drives home the point that, while their position in the league may not instill fear, they’re a serious proposition. José Sá has been excellent this campaign, as has Hwang Hee-chan, who’s brought much-needed and consistent scoring. Even Matheus Cunha has improved, which has been especially valuable while Pedro Neto continues to recover. Wolves have the potential to make it difficult for Arsenal, but they still come in as underdogs.

Brentford vs. Luton Town

Gtech Community Stadium, Saturday, 3pm Local, 10am Eastern

The Bees narrowly missed out on a result when they hosted Arsenal last weekend, but they’ll be hoping for all 3 points when Luton Town make the short trek south to the Gtech. Thomas Frank’s side - like many - is stretched with injuries, particularly in defense. Their cobbled together backline was good enough to hold the Gunners until late on, so perhaps they won’t be sweating the less prolific Hatters. On the other end of the pitch, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa will fancy their chances of scoring and an early goal or two could make the showdown a non-event. Brentford are in no danger this season, but - if they want to make an unexpected push for the last European place - this is a game they need to win. 

Luton have looked better in recent weeks, cementing their status as the promoted club who’ve adjusted best to their new level. Their win over Crystal Palace was particularly impressive, and Hatters faithful will hope that Rob Edwards can continue to nab win against solid, midtable clubs - and not just against their fellow relegation battlers. This challenge on the road may prove a bridge too far, but that it doesn’t seem far-fetched for Luton to grab a result is a testament to how quickly Edwards and his players have shifted expectations. The Hatters are 4 points clear of the last relegation place and thus able to absorb a loss without dropping back in. Very few observers would have thought they’d be here this far into the campaign.

Burnley vs. Sheffield United

Turf Moor, Saturday, 3pm Local, 10am Eastern

Burnley have been historically horrific at home this season, losing every match. If that trend continues when Sheffield United visit, it’s very hard to see the Clarets mounting a serious push to survive. Especially with Luton and Bournemouth showing signs of life, it’s key for Vincent Kompany’s side to not get cut further adrift. They haven’t been completely abject, there’s just enough energy and quality in the team to make each of their consistent capitulations very frustrating. That said, Burnley won their home clash with the Blades in their Championship topping effort last campaign, and Paul Heckingbottom’s side has not drastically improved. A win here won’t save the Clarets’ season, but it would be a rare positive step.

Sheffield United had been looking better, ending the last run of matches with a win and a draw. However, the Blades were thoroughly beaten by Bournemouth and still sit 4 points from safety. A win would see them open up daylight on Burnley, which could be huge for them in an unlikely survival campaign. More than anything, this match is a fantastic temperature check on the relegation race. No matter the result, there will be ripples that shape the next few months and that could impact managerial changes and transfer strategy for January.

Nottingham Forest vs. Everton

City Ground, Saturday, 5:30pm Local, 12:30pm Eastern

City Ground hosts another key match for the bottom of the table, when newly points-docked Everton visits Steve Cooper’s side. Forest is coming off of a loss, but overall have been solid even if they’ve crept down to 15th place. Almost any other club battling in their second season after a promotion sitting 8 points clear of relegation would be sitting on cloud 9, but the reality of the ownership means that any downturn in form ramps up the pressure. Working in Cooper’s favor is the venue, the atmosphere at the City Ground has turbo-charged the home side’s performance on many occasions since their return to the top flight. A win buys Cooper more time, and he’s shown he can make the most of such opportunities.

Everton’s idea to stick it to the Premier League last weekend didn’t exactly go to plan, and, despite creating opportunities, the Toffees went down 3-0 at home. Their points deduction has been well documented as has the club’s response to it. The hope is that the team is galvanized by this adversity and that their stay in the bottom 3 will be short if not sweet. This is a distinct possibility. However, the longer it takes for the Toffees to haul themselves out of the relegation zone, the more pressure grows and supersedes any boost they get from their “us against the world” mentality. This match is winnable for Everton, but Forest need the victory just as badly.

Newcastle United vs. Manchester United

St. James Park, Saturday, 8pm Local, 3pm Eastern

A crucial matchup between two blue chip Premier League sides, Newcastle welcome Manchester United to St. James Park under the lights on Saturday night. The Magpies crunched Chelsea last time out, but were left deeply frustrated by a conundrum of a handball penalty in the Champions League midweek. The wear and tear of the season has hit Eddie Howe’s side more than most, and it’s not a terribly bold prediction to say that they may struggle with fixture congestion. However, their opponents suffered a similar - if not more embarrassing - draw in Europe and also aren’t at full strength. While the Magpies are cobbled together, it wouldn’t be a great shock to see the buoyancy of their home ground propel them to a result.

By now everyone knows that Manchester United are the form team in the league. It’s almost trite to bring up. But they’re not just a team when they narrowly beat clubs like Luton Town and Everton in the league, and their capitulation in Turkey epitomized that. For all that, the Red Devils are sitting comfortably in 6th, only 4 points behind the Champions League spots. Worryingly for their supporters, however, Erik Ten Hag’s side have yet to perform against top table opposition. Brentford - who enter the weekend in 11th - are the highest ranked club that the Manchester side has defeated. Newcastle may be an unknown entity - at least as they navigate their injury crisis - and Manchester United have yet to prove that they can hold their own against sides with the Magpies’ quality.

Liverpool vs. Fulham

Anfield, Sunday, 2pm Local, 9am Eastern

After drawing a tight (if lackluster) face off with City last time out, Liverpool look to get back to winning ways when Fulham visits Anfield on Sunday afternoon. The Reds cruised to a 4-0 victory in midweek, brushing aside their Austrian guests LASK. Fulham are coming off of a win, but Jürgen Klopp will be sorely disappointed if his side can’t grab all 3 points. Compared to other clubs, Liverpool have avoided a massive injury crisis, but both Diogo Jota and Alisson are set to miss time for the Merseyside Club. They have more than enough attacking depth to cope with Jota’s absence, and one expects to see more of Cody Gapko in one of his preferred frontline roles rather than his frequent midfield cameos. Alisson, who is only set to miss a couple of weeks, is harder to replace even with a capable deputy in Caoimhin Kelleher.

The Cottagers clocked a much-needed win on Monday, which will be hugely valuable to them - even if it came in slightly controversial circumstances. The prevailing wisdom suggests that the West London club will have an unremarkable, safe season. That could well be the case. However, teams in the lower reaches of the table have started to scrap the occasional result, and there’s a real danger that Marco Silva’s side could sleepwalk their way into hot water. A trip to Anfield isn’t a make or break contest in their campaign, but they could do with developing a consistent scorer and every game is a chance to make positive strides in that direction.

Bournemouth vs. Aston Villa

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

The Cherries go into the weekend on a bit of a hot streak, winning their last 2 matches in convincing fashion. Andoni Iraola’s side hosts Aston Villa, however, who are a far cry better than most other clubs in the league. While both wins for the South Coast club were important, their easy victory over Sheffield United was especially significant because Dominic Solanke didn’t need to power the team. Bournemouth’s fleet of wingers and creative midfield options supported an aggressive offensive performance. More displays like that and is easy to imagine the Cherries continuing their upward trajectory. All that said, Villa have looked a very capable side and aren’t phased by a team trying to exploit their vaunted high-line. This will be a match where Iraola will happily cede possession to fuel counter attacks, but keeping out Unai Emery’s side is a big task. 

The Birmingham side comes into the weekend in the top 4, riding the high of two wins in a week. The second of those - a 2-1 home win in the Europa Conference League - is a concern for Villa fans, especially considering their opponents had a full week to prepare and don’t need to travel. That said, the Villans aren’t as hard hit as some other clubs with injuries, even though they do have a slight concern around Ollie Watkins, who seems likely to miss this contest. Boubakar Kamara is suspended, but Emery’s side should still have enough to control the match. This could well be a perfect situation for John McGinn, who will be charged with using his creativity to break Bournemouth’s resistance.

Chelsea vs. Brighton & Hove Albion

Stamford Bridge, Sunday, 2pm Local, 9am Eastern

It’s not quite a Derby, but these two clubs have been heavily linked over the past few seasons. Graham Potter, Marc Cucurella, Moisés Caicedo, Billy Gilmour, and Robert Sánchez have all served both teams, and there’ve been the beginnings of real needle between the two recently. Chelsea, still recovering from their trip to St. James Park, had the wind taken out of their sales last time out and are in need of a jolt of positivity. Christopher Nkunku, who has yet to feature in an official game, could be just that - he’s a leading man-style striker who theoretically fits in well with supporting players like Sterling, Jackson, and Palmer. He may not be ready to start, but his return could well come off the bench this weekend. If he can be a key cog in Chelsea’s attack, the club will start to be much more functional.

Brighton have had a good - if draining - week. Roberto De Zerbi’s side followed up their narrow win at Nottingham Forest by trekking all the way to Greece and earning a qualification-clinching victory at AEK Athens. That qualification is a huge moment in the club’s history, but the Seagulls - who are already stretched phyllo-thin - will have barely recovered before making the short trip up to London. Ansu Fati and Tariq Lamptey will both be long term absentees, and their Captain, Lewis Dunk, is suspended. Based on the squad they put out midweek, Brighton have the personnel to make life very difficult for Chelsea, but each successive match demands more and more.

West Ham United vs. Crystal Palace

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

West Ham have also had a week of narrow wins, following up their late comeback against Burnley with a road win in Serbia. David Moyes’ side will likely be feeling happy with results - if also nursing some aches and pains. Mohammed Kudus has been the key man in recent Premier League matches; his deliveries led to their last win. His quality and James Ward-Prowse’s set pieces make the Hammers hard to contain, even if that’s precisely what Crystal Palace will try to do. Their other talisman, Jarrod Bowen, is still recovering from an injury, but Moyes provided a cagey enough update about him that it’s possible he’ll return in time. If this contest weren’t directly after one of West Ham’s European adventures, the Hammers would be heavy favorites. But, the East London club has been inconsistent in matches like this season, so it’s far from an easy proposition.

Crystal Palace had the unwelcome distinction of being the first team to lose to Luton at Kenilworth Road last weekend, falling to a late goal. The result overshadowed Michael Olise’s return and his thunder-bump of a goal. The young Frenchman should get another run out this weekend, and he’s just the sort of player who can trouble West Ham - he’s dangerous both in his interplay and from distance. On the negative side for Roy Hodgson, Eberechi Eze is set to miss the match, meaning the South London side has to make do without one of its strongest players. Currently, Palace are the bran muffin on the Premier League buffet: uncontroversial, unexciting, and just begging for a bit more spice. They’re comfortable and safe from relegation worries - it will be interesting to see how long stability is enough at Selhurst Park.

Manchester City vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Etihad Stadium, Sunday, 4:30pm Local, 11:30am Eastern

The Champions play host to a weekend-capping shootout at the Etihad, with Tottenham set to square off against Pep’s City. While Spurs have proven a bogey team for Manchester City, there are plenty of reasons to think that this contest will be different. Firstly, while Pep sports a small squad as a matter of philosophy (and that already small squad is missing a few talents), Ange Postecoglou’s side has been obliterated by injuries and suspensions. The Australian manager isn’t a fan of changing his tactics, and his high line seems ripe to be broken by the likes of Foden, Doku, and Haaland. If City had their druthers, a few more of their midfield distributors would be available, as one can imagine Kevin De Bruyne exploiting the space behind Spurs’ makeshift backline over and over.

It’s no secret that Tottenham aren’t anywhere close to full strength, and their situation has become even more dire after losing the recently healthy Rodrigo Bentancur to another long term injury. But it’s also true that too much has been made of their loss to Villa last time out. They performed well, and could (should) have scored more goals than they did. It’s unlikely to happen, but a small adjustment to their tactics could set them up to surprise on the break without opening themselves up too much. One shouldn't put too much weight on the next point, but Spurs have had City’s number the past few years. Even in periods of extreme domination, Pep has struggled to put away the North London side. The Spurs could - and likely will - get nothing from this match. But their fans could be forgiven for going to sleep Saturday night with visions of a Son Heung-min goal dancing in their heads.