Both meetings last season between Liverpool and Manchester United ended in a draw and the two sides face each other in the Saturday lunchtime game. Liverpool have failed to beat United at Anfield in the league on each occasion since 2013. Man United remain unbeaten this season and head into this game having won the last three games. They have conceded just twice in seven league games and kept six clean sheets over that time. Liverpool have themselves not lost in three games but having drawn two of them they have lost ground on the top of the table and are coming into this game without a clean sheet in four games.
Champions Chelsea go into their game with bottom of the table Crystal Palace in 4th place but are already six points off the top. Both sides lost last game week but it is Palace who have lost all seven of their games this season and it is no secret that they are yet to score a goal in the league. April saw Palace beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge to help them take a step towards Premier League survival and they need a similar result in this game if they are to avoid falling further behind. Diego Costa was the difference between the two sides when they met at Selhurst Park last season, scoring the only goal in a 1-0 away win.
Table-topping Manchester City return to league action by welcoming Stoke to the Etihad. Man City remain unbeaten and have won five in a row heading into this game. They may not find it quite as comfortable this week though as Stoke drew 0-0 in this fixture last season and are the only side to take points off neighbours Man United this season so far. Away from home though they have not been as strong and are yet to win on the road. Man City have scored 17 goals without reply in their last four league outings but still only top the table on goal difference.
Arsenal will be looking to pick up from their pre-international break form as they travel to Watford on Saturday evening. The win at home to Brighton moved then level on points with 4th place and despite a poor start to the season, they have not lost much ground. Arsenal have won three of their last four games but face a difficult week full of away trips. Watford’s only league win over Arsenal came at the Emirates in January ending a run of seven straight defeats. The home side currently sit in 8th in the table having lost just once so far this season. A win would move them above Arsenal in the table.
With their win over Huddersfield last time out, Tottenham moved up to 3rd place in the table. They are yet to win at Wembley in the league this season, however, but will try again against Bournemouth this weekend. In the four Premier League meetings so far, Bournemouth are yet to beat Tottenham. The result was a 4-0 win for Spurs last season but that was at White Hart Lane. Three wins from their last four league games have moved Tottenham within five points of the top whereas Bournemouth currently sit in the bottom three.
High flying Burnley head into their game at home to West Ham in 6th place. They have, however, only beaten West Ham once in the league and that was back in 2010. In May of last season, it was the away side who won 2-1 and West Ham are trying to recover from their poor start. Two wins and a draw in their last four have moved them into 15th.
Huddersfield and Swansea last met in League 1 in 2008 with both sides winning their away game by the odd goal. They meet again in Wales on Saturday with the home side sat in the relegation places having lost three of their last four games. Huddersfield are on a poor run themselves and are without a win in their last five games. The two sides have scored just eight goals between them this season so far with Swansea (3) scoring the fewest.
Sunday sees Brighton host Everton with both sides trying to build momentum after slow starts to the season. Brighton have now won two in their last four games but are missing a few key players ahead of the weekend. Everton have been under pressure lately and are currently 16th, they could have dropped into the bottom three before the game kicks off.
Neither Southampton or Newcastle have won in their previous two league games but have a chance to change that when they meet on the south coast. The last meeting between the sides was a 3-1 win to Southampton in 2016. You have to go back to 2004 for the last time that Newcastle won at Saint Mary’s but they do currently occupy a place in the top 10.
The Monday night game this week is West Brom’s trip to Leicester City. Both games last season were won by the away side and it was a 1-2 win for West Brom at the King Power Stadium in November 2016. Neither side has won in their last five league games and the home side need a win to move away from the bottom of the league.
Saturday’s game at Anfield will be the biggest test of the season so far for United. The media is full of half praise for the side but also include the ease of fixtures played. If United can come away from the weekend’s game with a win then they will cement their title challenge.